'Misconceived' : Supreme Court Dismisses PIL To Cancel IIT Faculty Appointments From 2008 For Allegedly Violating Reservation Norms

The Supreme Court recently dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to cancel faculty appointments in Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) from 2008 to present for allegedly violating reservation norms.  The PIL also sought for equal opportunity to be given to candidates from northern and Hindi speaking states in faculty positions at IITs across India.

Terming the petition ‘misconceived and misdirected’, a division bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Dipankar Datta dismissed the PIL stating that the prayer for cancelling appointments made as far back in 2008 cannot be entertained at this point of time. The Court also found the allegations in the plea to be without any supporting material .

The plea had alleged that several students at IITs have committed suicide due to harassment from professors. The Court called the sweeping allegations made by the petitioner ‘absurd’ and without any basis.

“Petitioner’s prayer to cancel appointments from June 2008 onwards cannot be entertained at this belated stage, more so, when none of the appointees is a party respondent. His allegation of alleged discriminatory treatment to the candidates belonging to north and Hindi speaking States, in the matter of appointment as faculty members in IITs, is totally vague, evasive and without any supporting material. The petitioner has made sweeping allegations that several IIT students have committed suicide due to harassment caused by the professors in IITs. Such an absurd plea appears to have been taken on the basis of some news reports.” 

The Court observed that the petitioner himself had admitted that the matter relating to implementation of reservation policy in IITs is already pending before the Apex Court and the Madras High Court and hence no separate writ was required to be entertained pertaining to the same issue.

Related reports -  Supreme Court Issues Notice In Plea Seeking Directions To IITs To Follow Reservation Policy For Faculty Recruitment, Research Degree Admissions

Supreme Court Directs Centre, IITs To Allow Reservation In Faculty, Research Degree Admissions As Per 2019 Act

Case Title : Dr. Sachchida Nand Pandey V. Union of India, Writ Petition (Civil)…………. Diary No(s).5235/2023

Citation : 2023 LiveLaw (SC) 544

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