in the field of Pharmacy Education and more particularly so far as the recognition of degrees and diplomas of Pharmacy 4 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.”

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

1

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

2

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.  

3

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

4

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 10th  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 15th

May   2020,   have   been   allowed   by   the   High

Court   vide   judgment   and   order   dated   9th

November   2020.     Indisputably,   the   State

Government  also vide notification dated  19th

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.”

5

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.   

6

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 19th 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.

7