High Court · 2025

W.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 2025IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRASDATED : 12.09.2025CORAM: THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE G.K.ILANTHIRAIYANW.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 2025Dhanalakshmi College of Engineering,Represented By Its Authorised Signatory, Manimangalam Post, Sriperumbudur Taluk, Chennai-602 301. ... Petitioner in WP.No.21470 of 2025Shreenivasa Engineering Collegerepresented by its Chairman,B.Pallipatti, Bommidi Post 635301,Pappireddipatti Taluk,Dharmapuri District. ... Petitioner in WP.No.25304 of 2025Mahendra Engineering College for Women,represented by its Principal,Kumaramangalam 637205,Thiruchengodu Taluk,Namakkal District. ... Petitioner in WP.No.25306 of 2025AVS Engineering College,represented by its Principal,Military Road, Ammapet,Salem 636103. ... Petitioner in WP.No.25308 of 2025C.K.College of Engineering and Technology,represented by its Principal,Jayaram Nagar,Chellangkuppam, Cuddalore 607003. ... Petitioner in WP.No.32207 of 2025Page 1 of 10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 2025-Vs-1. Anna University Represented By Its Registrar, Chennai-600 025.2 University Grants Commission, Represented By Its Secretary, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110 002. ...Respondents in all W.PsPrayer in W.P.No.21470 of 2025 : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the first respondent herein to scrupulously adhere to Regulation 4.2 of University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon colleges and measures for maintenance of standards in autonomous colleges) regulations 2023 and forthwith notify the autonomous status granted to the petitioner college in order of the University grants Commission in No.F 2-10 / 2023 (AC policy) dated 28.02.2025 in line with the judgment rendered in W.A. No.51 of 2020 as confirmed in S.L.P. (Civil) Nos. 8324-8325 of 2020.Prayer in W.P.No.25304 of 2025 : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the first respondent herein to scrupulously adhere to Regulation 4.2 of University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon colleges and measures for maintenance of standards in autonomous colleges) regulations 2023 and forthwith notify the autonomous status granted to the petitioner college in order of the University grants Commission in No.F 2-10 / 2023 (AC policy) dated 02.06.2025.Prayer in W.P.No.25306 of 2025 : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Page 2 of 10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 2025Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the first respondent herein to scrupulously adhere to Regulation 4.2 of University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon colleges and measures for maintenance of standards in autonomous colleges) regulations 2023 and forthwith notify the autonomous status granted to the petitioner college in order of the University grants Commission in No.F 2-10 / 2023 (AC policy) dated 02.06.2025.Prayer in W.P.No.25308 of 2025 : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the first respondent herein to scrupulously adhere to Regulation 4.2 of University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon colleges and measures for maintenance of standards in autonomous colleges) regulations 2023 and forthwith notify the autonomous status granted to the petitioner college in order of the University grants Commission in No.F 2-10 / 2023 (AC policy) dated 29.05.2025.Prayer in W.P.No.32207 of 2025 : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the first respondent herein to scrupulously adhere to Regulation 4.2 of University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon colleges and measures for maintenance of standards in autonomous colleges) regulations 2023 and forthwith notify the autonomous status granted to the petitioner college in order of the University grants Commission in No.F 2-10 / 2023 (AC policy) dated 24.04.2025.In all W.PsPage 3 of 10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 2025For Petitioners : Mr.Kandhan DuraisamiFor R1 : Mr.U.Baranidharan Standing CounselFor R2 : Mr.B.Rabu Manohar Senior Central Government Counsel COMMON O RDER These Writ Petitions have been filed for direction directing the first respondent herein to scrupulously adhere to Regulation 4.2 of University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon colleges and measures for maintenance of standards in autonomous colleges) regulations 2023 and forthwith notify the autonomous status granted to the petitioners' college in order of the University grants Commission in No.F 2-10 / 2023 (AC policy) dated 28.02.2025, 02.06.2025, 29.05.2025 and 24.04.2025 in line with the judgment rendered in W.A.No.51 of 2020 as confirmed in S.L.P. (Civil) Nos. 8324-8325 of 2020.2. The petitioners in all cases submitted their applications on various dates in the prescribed format to Anna University for conferment of autonomous status as per University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon Colleges and measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulation 2023. The petitioners also submitted the filled-in proforma with required documents to the University Grants Commission. The University Page 4 of 10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 2025Grants Commission in its meeting approved the recommendation of Standing Committee on Autonomous Colleges to confer the autonomous status to the petitioners' colleges' for a period of 10 years from the academic year 2025-2026 to 2034-2035 as per Clause 7.5 of the UGC Regulation, 2023. The same had been communicated by the University Grants Commission in its letter No.F.2-10/2023(AC-Policy) dated 28.02.2025 addressed to the Registrar, Anna University, Chennai. In the orders dated 02.06.2025, 29.05.2025 and 24.04.2025 communicating the conferment of autonomous status to the petitioners, the University Grants Commission had categorically requested the University to issue necessary notification within 30 days regarding the grant of autonomous status to the petitioners Colleges as per UGC Regulations, 2023. The first respondent did not comply with the request conveyed in the Conferment Order issued by the University Grants Commission and so the petitioners submitted representations to the Registrar, Anna University, Chennai, on several dates. The respondents neither issued the notification as mandated by Clause 4.2 of UGC Regulations 2023, nor sent reply to the petitioners' representations. The respondent University was bound to issue the notification within 30 days as mandated by Regulation 4.2 of UGC Regulation, 2023, however, it failed to do so. Hence, the petitioners were constrained to file the above writ petitions for the aforesaid reliefs.Page 5 of 10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 20253.The learned counsel for the first respondent University submitted that even without considering the first respondent's objections, the order conferring Permanent Status to the petitioner's was issued and therefore the first respondent was not bound to issue the notification.4. Mr.B.Rabu Manohar, learned Senior Central Government Counsel appearing for UGC submitted that without considering the first respondent's objection, autonomous status would not have been conferred. The learned Counsel further submitted that in case the objections were filed beyond the time stipulated under Regulations 4.1, then the deeming provision would operate and therefore, the UGC would be well within it's right to confer the autonomous status to the petitioners' college.5. The role of the parent University is stipulated in Regulation 4 of the UGC Regulations, 2023. The relevant portion of the Regulation 4.1 and 4.2 read as follows:“4.1 To examine the application of the College forautonomous status on the UGC portal and give its recommendations, along with reasons/justification, within 30 working days on the UGC portal. If the parent University does not respond on the UGC Portal within 30 working days, it shall Page 6 of 10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 2025be presumed that the parent University has no objection to the processing of the application by the UGC for conferment of autonomous status.4.2 Issue notification within 30 days for a College to function as an autonomous entity once the autonomous status is conferred on the College by UGC.” 6. The learned Senior Central Government Counsel appearing for the UGC submitted that without considering the objections, the first respondent would not have passed orders conferring autonomous status to the petitioners. The learned counsel further submitted that in case objections were filed beyond 30 days, it could be presumed that the University had no objection under Regulation 4.1.7. The submission of the learned Senior Central Government Counsel appearing for the UGC is recorded and in the light of the said submission and Regulation 4.2 of the UGC Regulation extracted above, the first respondent is bound to issue the notification within 30 days as per Clause 4.2 aforementioned. In this regard,the Judgment of the First Division Bench of this Court in the case of Anna University Vs. Mahendra Institute of Technology and Another in W.A.No.51 of 2020 can be usefully referred. The Court held as follows:“14.In the said background, we are of the opinion that the 2018 Regulations framed by the University Grants Commission in exercise of the powers conferred under Section Page 7 of 10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 202512(f), (g), (j) r/w 26(1) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 govern the field, inasmuch as the same is clearly saved as being a Regulation duly authorized having its source in Entry 66 of List I of the Constitution of India. There is no law for the time being relating to the Regulation of grant of autonomous Colleges running contrary to the same either framed under Entry 66 of List I or entry 25 of List III. In the absence of any such legislation to the contrary, we are of the clear opinion that the 2018 Regulations clearly hold the field exclusively in the matters of grant of autonomous status to affiliated Colleges. The resolution of the Syndicate dated 27.05.2014 cannot in any way be said tohave an overriding effect or even supplementary effect to the 2018 Regulations, inasmuch as the method of grant of an autonomous status is clearly defined under the 2018 Regulations and the eligibility to obtain such status isalso governed by the same.”8. The aforesaid Judgment of the Hon'ble First Division Bench was confirmed by the Supreme Court in S.L.P.(Civil) Nos.8324-8325 of 2020. From a reading of the aforementioned Regulation and the Judgment of the Hon'ble First Division Bench of this Court, it is clear that the first respondent University is bound to issue the notification as mandated by Regulation 4.2 of the UGC Regulations, 2023.9. In view of the above discussion and under the facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is of the view that the Writ Petitions deserve to be allowed. Hence, these Writ Petitions are allowed with a direction to the first respondent University to notify the autonomous status granted to the petitioner Page 8 of 10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 2025Colleges' as per Regulation 4.2 of the UCG Regulations 2023, within a period of four weeks, from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. No costs.12.09.2025Internet: YesIndex : Yes/NoNeutral Citation: Yes/NoSpeaking/Non Speaking ordermnPage 9 of 10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 2025G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN. J,mnTo1. The Registrar, Anna University, Chennai-600 025.2. The Secretary, University Grants Commission, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110 002.W.P.Nos.21470, 25304, 25306, 25308 and 32207 of 202512.09.2025Page 10 of 10