2021 INSC 0293
REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION 
WRIT PETITION (C) NO.446 OF 2021
SRI SAI RR INSTITUTE OF 
PHARMACY ...PETITIONER(S)
VERSUS
DR. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM TECHNICAL
UNIVERSITY AND ANOTHER       ...RESPONDENT(S)
WITH 
WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO.448 OF 2021
SHRI BADRINATH COLLEGE OF 
PHARMACY  ...PETITIONER(S)
VERSUS
DR. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM TECHNICAL
UNIVERSITY AND ANOTHER       ...RESPONDENT(S)
O R D E R
B.R. GAVAI, J.
1. Both   these   writ   petitions   filed   by   the   petitioner   –
colleges   seek   various   directions,   including   the   direction   to
respondent No. 1 ­ Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University
(hereinafter   referred   to   as   “the   University”),   i.e,  to   comply   with
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Notification   dated   19.3.2021   issued   by   the   State   Government
and   grant   conditional   affiliation   to   the   petitioner   –   colleges   for
Academic Year 2020­2021; direction directing the University to
organize   special   examinations   for   B.   Pharma   students   for
Academic   Year   2020­2021   in   view   of   the   aforesaid   Notification
dated   19.3.2021;   and   direction   to   the   University   to   permit
students of the petitioner – colleges to participate in the special
examinations.
2. It is the contention of the petitioner – colleges that the
facts in the present writ petitions are identical with the facts in
Writ Petition (Civil) No. 390 of 2021 (VIIT Pharmacy College and
another   vs.   Dr.   A.P.J.   Abdul   Kalam   Technical   University   and
another) 1
,   which   was   allowed   by   this   Court   vide   order   dated
15.4.2021.
3. Insofar   as   Writ   Petition   (Civil)   No.   390   of   2021   is
concerned,   the   University   has   not   seriously   disputed   that   the
1   2021 SCC Online SC 322 
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facts   in   the   present   writ   petitions   are   similar   to   that   in   Writ
Petition (Civil) No. 390 of 2021.  However, it is the contention of
the University, taken for the first time in Writ Petition (Civil) No.
448 of 2021 (Shri Badrinath College of Pharmacy vs. Dr. A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam Technical University & Anr.), that the petitioner ­
Shri   Badrinath   College   of   Pharmacy   did   not   participate   in   the
counselling   process   and   as   such,   is   not   entitled   to   any   relief.
Another   ground  that  has  been  taken  is, that  there is  a similar
writ   petition   pending   before   the   High   Court   filed   by   the
petitioner  ­ Shri Badrinath  College of  Pharmacy  with regard to
the same relief. 
4. We   find,   that   the   facts   in   both   the   present   writ
petitions   are   almost   similar   to   facts   in   Writ   Petition   (Civil)   No.
390 of 2021 decided by this Court on 15.4.2021.  In both cases,
grant   of   affiliation   was   denied   by   the   University   on   the   sole
ground, that the timeline as prescribed by All India Council for
Technical Education (AICTE) had lapsed.  
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5. It   is   also   not   in   dispute,   that   vide   Notification   dated
19.3.2021,   the   State   Government   after   considering   the
recommendations   made   by   the   Affiliation   Committee   has
granted   conditional   affiliation   to   the   petitioner   ­   colleges   for
admission in B. Pharma course in compliance with the order of
the High Court passed in Writ Petition No.12536 of 2020.
6. The   writ   petitions   have   been   filed   by   the   petitioner   –
colleges   since   the   University   has   refused   to   grant   affiliation   to
the petitioner – colleges and to permit their students to appear
for First Year B. Pharma examination.  
7. This Court while allowing Writ Petition (Civil) No. 390 of
2021 has observed thus:
“9. This   Court,   in   the   case   of,   Dr.   S.K.
Toshiwal   Educational   Trusts   Vidarbha
Institute   of   Pharmacy   (supra),   has   held   as
under:­
“87.   In   view   of   the   above   and   for   the
reasons stated above, it is held that in the
field   of   Pharmacy   Education   and   more
particularly   so   far   as   the   recognition   of
degrees   and   diplomas   of   Pharmacy
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Education is concerned, the Pharmacy Act,
1948   shall   prevail.   The   norms   and
regulations   set   by   the   PCI   and   other
specified   authorities   under   the   Pharmacy
Act   would   have   to   be   followed   by   the
concerned institutions imparting education
for   degrees   and   diplomas   in   Pharmacy,
including   the   norms   and   regulations   with
respect   to   increase   and/or   decrease   in
intake   capacity   of   the   students   and   the
decisions of the PCI shall only be followed
by   the   institutions   imparting   degrees   and
diplomas   in   Pharmacy.   The   questions   are
answered accordingly.” 
10. Indisputably, in the present case, the PCI
has   granted   approval   to   both   the   petitioners
vide   order   dated   10 th
  April   2020,   with   intake
capacity   of   100   and   60   admissions/students
respectively.     Not   only   that,   the   petitions   filed
by   the   petitioners   challenging   the   policy
decision   of   the   State   Government   dated   15 th
May   2020,   have   been   allowed   by   the   High
Court   vide   judgment   and   order   dated   9 th
November   2020.     Indisputably,   the   State
Government   also   vide   notification   dated   19 th
March 2021, has granted conditional affiliation
after   considering   the   recommendations   made
by   the   Affiliation   Committee.     In   the   peculiar
facts   and   circumstances   of   the   case   and
particularly, taking into consideration, that the
averments made on affidavit by the petitioners,
are   not   controverted   by   the   respondent   No.1­
University, we find that the petition deserves to
be allowed.”
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8. As   in   the   aforesaid   case   decided   by   order   dated
15.4.2021,   in   the   present   case   also   the   approval   has   been
granted by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) on 10.4.2021 to
both   the   petitioner   –   colleges   with   an   intake   capacity   of   60
students   each.     The   present   petitioners   have   also   filed   the
petitions   challenging   the   policy   decision   of   the   State
Government   dated   15.5.2020   before   the   High   Court   and   the
same   have   been   allowed   by   the   High   Court   by   judgments   and
orders   dated   2.11.2020   and   10.11.2020.     In   the   present   case
also,   the   State   Government   vide   Notification   dated   19.3.2021
has   granted   conditional   affiliation   after   considering   the
recommendations made by the Affiliation Committee.  
9. In   the   peculiar   facts   and   circumstances   of   the   case,
particularly finding that the facts in both the present cases are
almost   similar   with   the   facts   in   Writ   Petition   (Civil)   No.   390   of
2021,   we   are   of   the   view   that   the   present   petitioners   are   also
entitled   to   the   same   relief   as   is   granted   by   this   Court   in   Writ
Petition (Civil) No. 390 of 2021.   
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10. We   are   therefore   inclined   to   allow   the   petitions   in   the
following terms:
The   University   is   therefore   directed   to   grant   affiliation
to the petitioner ­ Colleges for the Academic Year 2020­21 and
also   permit   the   students   of   the   petitioner   ­   Colleges   to
participate   in   the   special   examinations   to   be   organized   by   the
University   for   the   Academic   Year   2020­21   in   view   of   the
Notification dated 19 th
 March 2021.
11. The writ petitions are allowed in the above terms. 
…..….......................J.
[R.F. NARIMAN]
.................................J.
         [K.M. JOSEPH]
…….........................J.
[B.R. GAVAI]
NEW DELHI;
JULY 06, 2021.
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