The Gujarat High Court has set aside an order of the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT) terminating the admission of a B.Tech student who had failed to appear for his exams.
The student had missed his exams as he had been suffering from depression and could not get enough credits required for the course. The rules, however, allowed him to appear for supplementary exams if he had missed the original exams due to an illness.
The student was initially prevented from attending the supplementary exams as the university rules did not consider depression and other mental illnesses as a medical condition despite the student providing a doctor’s certificate. The certificate diagnosed him as suffering from severe depression and suicidal thoughts.
Counsel for the student, Ronith Joy argued before the court that his client was not permitted to appear for the supplementary examination as he did not apply for the same due to severe depression. The counsel further argued that the student was a minor when the incident took place.
The court while setting aside the order observed that that depression was a form of severe medical illness.
Earlier the high court had in May in an interim order allowed the student to appear for the supplementary exams.
The court also observed that after being allowed to appear for the supplementary exams the student had cleared the same and had earned the requisite credits.
The court directed the competent authority to pass a fresh order about permitting the petitioner to continue his studies.