PhD enrolment stayed; aspirants say Osmania University changed rules midway

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday stayed the enrolment of students into PhD courses in the Osmania University. Justice Challa Kodandaram granted the interim order while dealing with a petition by several aspirants for PhD courses challenging the notification issued in 2014 for admissions and the eligibility test conducted by the varsity in 2015 pursuant to the notification.

Sarasani Satyam Reddy, senior counsel appearing for the petitioners, told the court that the varsity issued admission notification in 2014 for the PhD courses.
The notification prescribed qualifying marks of 50 per cent for OCs, 40 per cent for BCs and 30 per cent for SC and STs in the written test.

After the written test, the varsity, while declaring the results reduced the qualifying marks to 40, 30 and 20 per cent for the OCs, BCs and SC/STs respectively.

Mr Reddy contended that as per the law, the varsity has no power to make amendment to any notification or alter qualifying marks or any other criteria in the midst of the admission process, that too after completion of the eligibility test.
He alleged that officials reduced the qualifying marks only to accord admissions to persons of their choice.

Subordinate Judicial officials warned against joining t-advocates’ protest
The Hyderabad High Court has cautioned subordinate judicial officer that either direct or indirect support to the agitation by T-advocates against the provisional allocation of subordinate judicial officers between AP and TS would be deemned illegal and action would be initiated against those officers who extend support to it.

The High Court issued a circular in this regard cautioning the subordinate judicial officers and staff stating that it has came too its notice that many of the subordinate judicial officers remained in the chambers due to the agitation without conduct proceedings in their courts.

The circular said that in such circumstances, it was the duty of the presiding officer to bring to the notice of the district judge concerned and the district in turn has to take steps to conduct proceedings with police security.

The circular also stated that presidents of Bar Associations making requests to the judicial officers to dismiss their cases on the ground of non-representation in view of the agitation and conceding such requests would also be illegal.