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Petitioners willing to appear in their final exams have presented before the Vice Chancellor seeking leniency citing the peculiar facts of their case to take decision in a sympathetic manner to held their previous exams and was upheld by High Court of Kerala through the learned bench led by HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V in the case of AKSHAYA SHANTHAKUMAR, ADITHYA & NAMITHA SURESH vs. KERALA UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES (WP(C) NO. 7997 OF 2022) on 14^th March, 2022.

Brief facts of the case are that the petitioners are final year students (2017 batch) pursuing their Bachelor of Physiotherapy course in various Colleges affiliated to the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS). Petitioners 1 and 2 are yet to pass the first year Anatomy exam and the 2nd petitioner is yet to pass the 2nd year Pathology exam. As per the Regulations issued by the KUHS, supplementary examinations are conducted by the University for the benefit of the unsuccessful candidates within a period of six months from the date of announcement of the results. However, due to COVID restrictions, the University did not conduct the supplementary examinations. The regulations issued by the KUHS says that candidates would be eligible for registering for the final year examination only after they pass all the subjects of the previous year. In the said circumstances, the petitioners are stated to have filed Ext.P2 representation before the Vice-Chancellor on 26.2.2022. However, their valid and legitimate request was not considered in time.

Learned counsel for the petitioners contends that they cannot be faulted for the failure of the University in promptly holding the supplementary examinations. According to the learned counsel, the provisions of the 2016 regulations cannot be applied to the petitioners.

Learned counsel for the respondent submitted that the 1st and 3rd petitioners have secured as many as six chances to pass their First Year Examination and the 2nd petitioner has secured as many as four chances to clear the Second Year. In view of the above, the contention of the petitioners that the University is at fault cannot be sustained. The learned counsel would also invite the attention of this Court to Regulations and it is submitted that the request made by the petitioners cannot be accepted.

The petitioners have already preferred a representation before the Vice Chancellor seeking leniency citing the peculiar facts of their case. The learned Standing Counsel fairly submits that Exhibit-P2 can be considered in an expeditious manner taking note of the ensuing examination. In that view of the matter, there will be a direction to the 1st respondent to consider Ext.P2 and take a decision in a sympathetic manner expeditiously taking note of the fact that the examinations are scheduled to be held from 17.3.2022 onwards. 

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Judgment reviewed by – Amit Singh