Clarifying That the AICTE’s Admission Timeline Applies Only to Newly Affiliated Institutes, Upholding State-Fixed Counseling Schedules as Binding Authority
Summary
| Category | Data |
|---|---|
| Case Name | WPC/4666/2025 of MAHANADI EDUCATION SOCIETY Vs STATE OF CHHATTISGARH |
| CNR | CGHC010375752025 |
| Date of Registration | 29-08-2025 |
| Decision Date | 02-09-2025 |
| Disposal Nature | Dismissed |
| Judgment Author | Hon’ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice |
| Concurring or Dissenting Judges | Hon’ble Shri Bibhu Datta Guru, Judge |
| Court | High Court Of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur |
| Bench | Division Bench |
| Precedent Value | Clarifies applicability of AICTE academic calendar |
| Overrules / Affirms | Affirms |
| Type of Law | Administrative Law – Technical Education Admissions |
| Questions of Law | Does the AICTE academic calendar’s admissions timeline bind all affiliated institutes or only those newly affiliated? |
| Ratio Decidendi | The petitioning institute had already participated in three rounds of state-organized counseling under the schedule prescribed by Respondent No. 2 and cannot invoke the AICTE’s academic calendar—which the AICTE Act 1987 makes applicable only to newly affiliated institutions—to extend admissions beyond the state-fixed cut-off. The Division Bench held that once an institute is duly affiliated and has availed itself of the chosen counseling rounds, it cannot claim a later deadline under the AICTE calendar merely because seats remain vacant. Consequently, the State’s earlier cut-off date is binding and the petition for extension and quashing of the counseling schedule was dismissed. |
| Logic / Jurisprudence / Authorities Relied Upon by the Court |
|
| Facts as Summarised by the Court | The petitioner is a society running a technical college affiliated to Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekanand Technical University. AICTE’s Academic Calendar permits admissions until 15 September 2025 for newly affiliated institutes. Respondent No. 2’s counseling schedule, however, set a deadline of 14 August 2025. The petitioner, after three rounds of counseling and with over 475 seats vacant, sought quashing of that deadline and an extension to 15 September. |
Practical Impact
| Category | Impact |
|---|---|
| Binding On | All State technical education authorities and subordinate courts within Chhattisgarh |
| Persuasive For | Other High Courts |
What’s New / What Lawyers Should Note
- Clarifies that the AICTE Academic Calendar’s admissions timeline binds only newly affiliated institutes.
- Confirms state technical education bodies may prescribe earlier cut-off dates for regular affiliates.
- Institutes that partake in state-organized counseling rounds cannot later seek extensions under the AICTE calendar.
- Reinforces the finality of state-level counseling schedules once institutes have participated.
Summary of Legal Reasoning
-
Petitioner’s Reliance on AICTE Calendar
- Petitioner invoked AICTE Academic Calendar 2025-26 allowing admissions until 15 September.
-
Affiliation and Participation
- Court noted Annexure P-3 proof of petitioner’s affiliation and completion of three counseling rounds under state schedule.
-
Scope of AICTE Calendar
- AICTE timeline holds only for newly affiliated institutes as per AICTE Act 1987.
-
State Authority to Fix Schedule
- Regular affiliates cannot bypass state-fixed deadlines after availing counseling opportunities.
-
Conclusion
- Petition to extend admissions and quash counseling schedule dismissed.
Arguments by the Parties
Petitioner
- Institute duly affiliated; AICTE calendar allows admissions till 15 September 2025.
- Over 475 seats remained vacant; state schedule is arbitrary and abusive of process.
Respondents (State & University)
- Conducted three transparent counseling rounds under state schedule.
- AICTE academic calendar deadline applies only to newly affiliated institutes, not to regular ones who have already participated.
Factual Background
The petitioner Society runs the Raipur Institute of Technology with affiliation to Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekanand Technical University. AICTE’s Academic Calendar allows first-year admissions until 15 September 2025 for newly affiliated colleges. Respondent No. 2 fixed the counseling deadline as 14 August 2025 and conducted three rounds. The petitioner, with 475 seats vacant, filed a writ seeking to quash that deadline and extend counseling to 15 September.
Statutory Analysis
- All India Council for Technical Education Act, 1987: Establishes AICTE and empowers it to prescribe academic calendars.
- AICTE Academic Calendar 2025-26: Deadline for admissions applicable only to newly affiliated institutions.
- Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekanand Technical University affiliation rules: Institutes once affiliated fall under state-prescribed counseling schedules.
Alert Indicators
- ✔ Precedent Followed – Confirms existing interpretation of the AICTE academic calendar’s scope.