HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY W.P.No.45099 of 2025 and W.M.P.No.50240 of 2025 R.Gayathridevi .. Petitioner Versus 1. The Registrar, Tamilnadu Dr.J.Jayalalitha Fisheries University,
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 16.12.2025
CORAM :
THE HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY
W.P.No.45099 of 2025
and W.M.P.No.50240 of 2025
R.Gayathridevi .. Petitioner
Versus
1. The Registrar,
Tamilnadu Dr.J.Jayalalitha Fisheries University,
Nagapattinam, Nagapattinam District – 611 002.
2. The Chairman,
Tamilnadu Dr.J.Jayalalitha Fisheries University,
Nagapattinam, Nagapattinam District – 611 002.
3. The Dean,
Dr.MGR, Fisheries College and Research Institute,
Ponneri, Thiruvallur District. .. Respondents
Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, pleased to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the entire records relating to the impugned communication issued by the 1st respondent in his proceedings Lr.No.2673/TNJFU/Estt./A2/2023, dated 12.09.2025 and quash the same and consequently, directing the respondents to issue a B.F.Sc., Degree Certificate, Provisional Certificate, Original Certificates of Higher Secondary Education of the petitioner and Transfer Certificate to the petitioner.
For Petitioner : Mrs.R.Hemalatha
For Respondent : Mr.V.Vijayashankar,
Standing Counsel
ORDER
This Writ Petition is filed challenging the impugned order, dated 12.09.2025. By the said order, the petitioner was directed to remit a sum of Rs.75,000/- per semester for all the four years, in all totalling to Rs.6,00,000/- and it is further said that unless the petitioner pays the said sum of Rs.6,00,000/-, the Provisional Degree Certificate and Course Completion Certificate will not be issued to the petitioner.
2. The case of the petitioner is that in the year 2021-2022, after completing her higher secondary, she applied for B.F.Sc., course. She got cut off mark of 180.1. However, the final cut off mark fixed in respect of the backward class community was 186.5. However, three months after the said notification, she was called by the respondent authorities and was granted admission after counselling. She has also now completed four year course and come out successfully. However, suddenly, the impugned order is passed. Therefore, she is before this Court.
3. Per contra, the learned Standing Counsel for the respondent University submits that in the said year as well as in some other years, some of the staff of the University namely, the Typist and with suspected role of the Controller of Examinations, they manipulated the system by forging the marks and also entering into collusion with ineligible candidates, they called the candidates illegally and by making all wrong entries, has given admissions to students who are not at all eligible as per the cut off marks. The said fraud was unearthed and a criminal complaint was also given and the same is under investigation.
4. While so, when action was taken against the said 37 students, the said students approached this Court as against the suspension order that was passed. By the judgment, dated 30.10.2024 passed in a batch of the Writ Petitions in W.P.No.22453 of 2023 etc., this Court found that there is active involvement and complicity of the students also along with the said authorities of the college/university who have committed the fraud. Therefore, instead of visiting the students with a more serious punishment which will jeopardise the career, the Court passed final orders holding that these students can be treated on par with the Group-II self enhancing students and accordingly, the fees applicable in respect thereof namely Rs.75,000/- per semester can be collected with reference to the said students and directed the respondents to regularise the admission and ensure the continuance of the course by the said students. As per the said order, all the 37 students paid the fees and several of them have also completed the course and certificates have also been given to them.
5. After the entire episode, it was further noticed that five other students, including the petitioner also, are involved in the said fraud. Therefore, in tune with the judgment of this Court in W.P.No.22453 of 2023 etc., dated 30.10.2024, the present order was passed. Unless the petitioner is imposed with some kind of a penalty, since she has also actively participated, there will not be a justification in punishing the other students also. Only because the fraud committed by this petitioner and other four students was not unearthed at the same time, no different treatment can be afforded to the petitioner.
6. I have considered the rival submissions made on either side and perused the material records of the case.
7. I consider the following facts:-
(i) While action was taken against the 37 students during the continuance of their education and when they challenged it, ultimately, the challenge culminated into the judgment of this Court, dated 30.10.2024 directing them to pay the said amount. No such action has been taken in the case of the present petitioner during the continuance of the education. The petitioner was simply allowed to continue the education and she had also successfully cleared all the examinations.
(ii) The said judgment of this Court also categorically records that none of the petitioners are able to produce any proof with reference to attending counselling and only on this score, their active complicity is decided. In the instant case, in page No.19 of the typed set of papers, this petitioner has produced the receipt for payment of Rs.1,000/- as the counselling fees. Therefore, whether the petitioner got the seat with active complicity or she fell in to the fraud that is committed by the other respondents, remains doubtful.
(iii) The entire amount is now sought to be mulcted after completion of the course and it is pleaded by the petitioner that she belongs to the economically lower strata of the society.
(iv) While every action is taken against the students, no punishment is imposed on any of the staff. Even the Criminal case is still in the First Information Report stage. The respondents do not seem to have time to pursue the same.
(v) Finally, it is pleaded and the records are also produced that the petitioner’s father is diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing protracted treatment. For all the reasons, now, directing the petitioner to pay a huge sum of Rs.6,00,000/- after she has completed the course, would be unjust.
8. Needless to mention that there is no opportunity for the petitioner to put-forth her case until she completed her course. Had an opportunity being granted during the continuance of the course by way of initiating an action, the petitioner either would have placed explanation stating that there was no active complicity on her part or in the alternative, would have discontinued the course also. In the absence of the same, when the petitioner is now pleading economic inability, after the completion of the course, mulcting the entire sum unilaterally by the respondents cannot be permitted. In such view of the matter, I am not able to agree with the learned Counsel for the respondent University.
9. Accordingly, the Writ Petition stands allowed on the following terms:-
(i) The impugned order, dated 12.09.2025 stands quashed in respect of this petitioner alone;
(ii) The respondent University is directed to issue the certificates including Course Completion Certificate, Provisional Degree Certificate, Regular Degree Certificate and the other Degree Certificates to the petitioner;
(iii) The authorities shall act on the web-copy of this order without waiting for a certified copy of this order. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.
16.12.2025
Neutral Citation : yes
grs
To
1. The Registrar,
Tamilnadu Dr.J.Jayalalitha Fisheries University,
Nagapattinam, Nagapattinam District – 611 002.
2. The Chairman,
Tamilnadu Dr.J.Jayalalitha Fisheries University,
Nagapattinam, Nagapattinam District – 611 002.
3. The Dean,
Dr.MGR Fisheries College and Research Institute,
Ponneri, Thiruvallur District.
D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY, J.
grs
W.P.No.45099 of 2025
and W.M.P.No.50240 of 2025
16.12.2025
