| Justice V. Ramasubramanian, before whom the petition filed by Chhedi Narayan Sharma came up for hearing, ordered notice, returnable by a week, to the commissioner of technical education, Anna University and the All India Council for Technical Education.
Sharma’ counsel Kandhan Duraisami submitted that since Sharma had limited scope in his nation for completing his graduation, he preferred to study in India, especially in Tamil Nadu. However, to his dismay, some educational institutions with whom he enquired regarding the admission process, informed him that a foreign national with a diploma course was not eligible to be admitted in lateral entry or in the first year of the engineering course.
Nepal, being a member of the Saarc nations was entitled to certain privileges by the government of India as promised by the Prime Minister of India during his official visit to Nepal wherein he had categorically stressed the importance of prosperous education and trade relationship between the two nations. The subjects covered by Sharma during his diploma course were similar to that taught to diploma students in India.
Kandhan Duraisami said that when Sharma went to the office of the directorate of technical education he was orally informed that he was not eligible to be granted admission for the engineering course in the lateral entry scheme and not even in the first year as a fresh candidate; they did not state the reasons for refusing to consider his eligibility.
The admission process for foreign nationals had commenced from August 18 and the last date for admission was September 18. The authorities cannot have two different set of norms in considering the eligibility criteria for students of Indian origin and students of foreign origin. Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India were universally applicable to all persons irrespective of citizenship, whereas Article 15, 16 and 19 were confined to citizens of India, he added. |