Universities Must Deal With Student Complaints With Sensitivity: Himachal Pradesh HC [Read Judgment]

The Himachal Pradesh High Court, on a plea by a student against the Himachal Pradesh University, has observed that conducting examination, declaring results, posting marks, issuing certificates and awarding degrees to students is a delicate function to be performed by a university with due diligence and care, as it involves not only the career of students, but also the faith reposed by them and society upon the university.

Justice Vivek Singh Thakur imposed an ‘exemplary cost’ of Rs. 40,000, while allowing a writ petition preferred by a student who had approached it seeking compensation for causing mental pain, physical harassment, torture, pecuniary losses and wastage of precious two years of his career and for depriving him from appearing in various examinations and interviews and also from getting the benefit of postgraduate degree in various interviews.

“It is true that despite due diligence and care there is always possibility of committing mistake, but such mistakes are also supposed to be rectified within reasonable period by dealing the issue with sensitivity so as to avoid adverse impact of such mistakes on career of students,” the court observed.

The court then disposed of the writ plea by directing the university to grant at least three chances to petitioner to pass Course III in old syllabus in which he was undertaking his studies of MA (Economics) by giving him reasonable time for preparation. The court also asked the university to pay him an amount of Rs. 40,000.

“Present case is a glaring example of not only indifferent attitude but also of careless, irresponsible and negligence behaviour on part of officers/officials of respondent university for which definitely respondent university is liable,” the court said.