Summary
Two pharmacy colleges sought affiliation and access to special B. Pharma examinations for academic year 2020–21 after the University relied on expired AICTE timelines. The Supreme Court found their circumstances materially similar to VIIT Pharmacy College, including PCI approval, successful challenges to the State's policy and conditional affiliation under the State notification of 19 March 2021. On these particular facts it directed the University to affiliate the colleges for 2020–21 and permit their students to take the special examinations.
Issues
- Whether the colleges were entitled to the affiliation and examination relief previously granted in VIIT Pharmacy College.
Held
- In pharmacy education, the governing approach in the cited precedents required following the Pharmacy Act framework and PCI decisions. The Court applied VIIT Pharmacy College after finding materially similar facts, rather than treating expired AICTE timelines as sufficient to refuse relief in these circumstances. (¶¶ 4, 7, 8, 9)
- PCI approval, the colleges' successful High Court challenges to the State policy and the State's conditional affiliation notification justified equivalent relief on the peculiar facts. (¶¶ 5, 8, 9)
- The University was directed to grant affiliation for academic year 2020–21 and allow the colleges' students to participate in special examinations organised pursuant to the notification of 19 March 2021. (¶¶ 10, 11)
Result
Both writ petitions allowed; University directed to grant 2020–21 affiliation and permit participation in the special examinations.