Sangeeta Kumari Singh vs The Union Of India
2026 Latest Caselaw 2999 Jhar

Jharkhand High Court

Sangeeta Kumari Singh vs The Union Of India on 13 April, 2026

Author: Rajesh Shankar

Bench: Rajesh Shankar

                                                          2026:JHHC:10506-DB




     IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
                     L.P.A. No.368 of 2025
                               -----

Sangeeta Kumari Singh, wife of Mritunjay Kumar Singh, resident of village Bonga, Karni, P.O. & P.S. Karni, District Chatra (Jharkhand).

.......... Appellant.

-Versus-

1. The Union of India, through the Ministry of Human Resource Department, Shastri Bhawan, C-Wing, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, P.O. & P.S. Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110 001.

2. The State of Jharkhand, through the Chief Secretary, Department of Personnel, Administrative Reforms and Rajbhasha Department, Project Building, Dhurwa, Ranchi.

3. The University Grant Commission, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, P.O. & P.S. Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, District North East Delhi, New Delhi-110 002.

4. The Director, Higher Education and Technical Department, Government of Jharkhand, 3rd Floor, Yojana Bhawan, Nepal House, Doranda, Ranchi.

5. The Principal Secretary, Higher Education and Technical Department, Government of Jharkhand, 3rd Floor, Yojana Bhawan, Nepal House, Doranda, Ranchi.

6. The Vice Chancellor, through its Registrar, Vinoba Bhave University, Sindoor, Ichak, Hazaribagh.

7. Dr. Shatrughan Kumar Pandey, Assistant Professor, Department of History, St. Columba's College, Hazaribagh.

.......... Respondents.

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CORAM : HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH SHANKAR

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For the Appellant : Mr. Ranjan Kumar, Advocate For the UOI : Mr. Sunil Kumar, Sr. CGC For the State : Mr. Ashwini Bhushan, AC to Sr. SC-II For the UGC : Mr. Atanu Banerjee, Advocate For the University : Mrs. I. Sen Choudhary, Advocate

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Order No.03 Date: 13.04.2026

1. Heard learned counsel for the parties.

2. Learned counsel for the appellant places on record the

notification dated 14th February, 2026 issued by the Vinoba Bhave

University, Hazaribagh (6th respondent). He submits that in terms

2026:JHHC:10506-DB

of this notification, the University has granted one time extension

for submitting Ph.D. thesis to the candidates who had registered

between 5th May, 2016 and 4th May, 2024. He states that the

appellant in this case had registered on 17th December, 2017 and,

therefore, would be eligible for the one-year extension now

granted.

3. The above position is not disputed by the learned counsel for the

University.

4. Accordingly, we take on record the notification dated 14 th

February, 2026 and in terms of the same, dispose of this appeal.

However, we clarify that we have not decided the issues raised

in this appeal and, therefore, in future, if any issue arises, the

same would be decided on its own merits and in accordance with

law.

5. At the same time, we hope and expect that the petitioner files his

thesis within the extended period, now that the University has

granted this one-time concession to several candidates like the

appellant.

6. The appeal is disposed of in the above terms without any order

for costs.

7. Pending interim applications in this appeal do not survive and are

also disposed of.

(M. S. Sonak, C.J.)

(Rajesh Shankar, J.) 13th April, 2026 Sanjay/Rohit Uploaded on 15.04.2026