S.Manikandan vs The Registrar
2026 Latest Caselaw 2714 Mad

Madras High Court

S.Manikandan vs The Registrar on 21 May, 2026

Author: D.Bharatha Chakravarthy

Bench: D.Bharatha Chakravarthy

                                                                      W.P.(MD) No.14227 of 2026


                          BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

                                               DATED : 21.05.2026

                                                     CORAM

                      THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY

                                          W.P.(MD) No.14227 of 2026


                    S.Manikandan                                       ... Petitioner

                                                        Vs.

                    1.The Registrar,
                      The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University,
                      No.5, Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran Salai Poompozhil,
                      Chennai-600 028.

                    2.The Controller of Examination,
                      The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University,
                      M.G.R.Salai, Near Taramani Railway Station,
                      Perungudi, Chennai -600113.

                    3.The Principal,
                      Tirunelveli Government Law College,
                      Thirunelveli District.

                    4.The Director,
                      The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University,
                      M.G.R.Salai, Near Taramani Railway Station,
                      Perungudi, Chennai – 600 113.               ... Respondents


                    Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India,
                    for issuance of a    Writ of Mandamus, directing the Respondents to


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                                                                          W.P.(MD) No.14227 of 2026

                    consider the Petitioner's representation dated 16.05.2026 for permit the
                    petitioner to write exam.

                                    For Petitioner     : Mr.S.Mukilan

                                    For Respondents : Mr.Krishnadass for R1 & R2


                                                         ORDER

Issue notice of motion returnable by 15.06.2026. Private notice is

also permitted.

2.Mr.Krishnadass, learned counsel takes notice on behalf of the

respondents 1 and 2.

3.The learned counsel for the petitioner presses for an interim order.

It is seen that an interim order is granted in the connected matter in

W.P.(MD)No.19601 of 2026.

4.The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents 1 and

2 would have two objections on the merits. He would submit that the

UGC guidelines of time span (N + 2 years) has already been adopted by

the respondent University and therefore, once the time span is elapsed, the

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petitioner cannot be permitted to write the examination. On the procedural

part of it, the learned counsel would submit that when the dates were

announced for filing the application for writing the exam, the petitioner

did not approach this Court. Now when the dates are over and now the

exam itself is slated on 29.05.2026 and only because of interim order is

granted in the other matters, belatedly the petitioner is approaching this

Court. Therefore, the learned counsel would oppose the interim order.

5.On merits, prima facie, I am of the view that whether the UGC

guidelines can be adopted by the University in the absence of any

regulation by the Bar Council of India prescribing any outer limit is the

question to be considered. Prima facie, the Hon'ble Supreme Court of

India has held that the Bar Council of India alone will be the primary

authority to prescribe standards as far as legal education is concerned and

therefore, the correctness of adopting the UGC guidelines has to be

considered by this Court. As far as the procedural aspect of is concerned,

it is true that the student has woken up only after the interim order granted

in favor of the other student. However, that is only procedural in nature.

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6.Let the student write the examination and everything can be

subject to the ultimate result on the writ petition. Since there are eight

working days, the petitioner shall physically approach the office of the

respondents 1 and 2 and after collecting the fee along with late fee, if any,

either by receiving the physical application or by re-opening the portal as

a special case and getting an online application, the petitioner can be

enrolled to write the arrears examination (Law of Taxation) on

29.05.2026. Mere writing of the examination will not give any equitable

right to the petitioner and everything will be subject to the ultimate result

of the writ petition.

7.List this matter on 15.06.2026.

21.05.2026 ias

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To

1.The Registrar, The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, No.5, Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran Salai Poompozhil, Chennai-600 028.

2.The Controller of Examination, The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, M.G.R.Salai, Near Taramani Railway Station, Perungudi, Chennai -600113.

3.The Principal, Tirunelveli Government Law College, Thirunelveli District.

4.The Director, The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, M.G.R.Salai, Near Taramani Railway Station, Perungudi, Chennai – 600 113.

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D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY, J.

ias

21.05.2026

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