HC asks GNLU to keep a seat till it decides ‘poor’ boy’s case

Ashok had heard about a programme called “Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access (IDIA)” that “helps students from underprivileged backgrounds to secure admission to the leading law colleges in India”. Ashok approached the IDIA and secured first rank in an aptitude test conducted by it in 2010.

According to his petition,IDIA helped Ashok get back to school and convinced his school principal to admit him to Std. XII in November 2010 despite the delay (more than half the academic year had passed by then). But Ashok failed the 2011 Indian School Certificate (ISC) exams.

He,however,re-appeared the following year and passed with an aggregate of 56.25%. He also cleared CLAT 2012 and secured an all-India rank of 427 in the general category.

This May,CLAT authorities published a list that showed he was eligible for admission to the BA (LLB) course at National University of Study and Research in Law,Ranchi. A revised list a few days later said he was eligible for admission to the BA (LLB) course at GNLU.

When he checked,however,Ashok noticed GNLU’s brochure contained some peculiar admission rules. He approached GNLU director Bimal Patel,who told him his case was under consideration.

As admission dates drew near,he sought the help of Prof. Shamnad Basheer,Ministry of Human Resources Development Chair Professor of Law at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences,Kolkata,and the Managing Trustee of IDIA.

Telephone calls and emails were exchanged between Basheer and Patel,but later GNLU’s admission committee head,Thomas Matthew,told Basheer that Ashok could not be admitted because the brochure said so and “the prior approval of the relevant authorities including the Executive Council and the General Council had not been obtained for specifically effectuating such amendment”.

IDIA had paid for Ashok’s fees to GNLU that same day. Ashok once again approached GNLU’s admission committee,but they refused to reconsider. He then approached the Gujarat HC.

Advocate Mukul Sinha,who appeared pro bono for Ashok,said the court has directed GNLU to hold a seat vacant till the case was resolved. Further hearing has been posted for Tuesday.