Sanskrit University Students Appeal to Supreme Court After High Court Ruling

Sixteen students from Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady have approached the Supreme Court following a ruling by the Kerala High Court that denied them interim relief to participate in their semester examinations, which are set to begin on November 4. The students, affiliated with the Students Federation of India (SFI), are contesting a decision made by a Division Bench of the High Court that overturned a previous order allowing them to take the exams while their suspension case was still pending.

The students were suspended on September 1, 2026, amid an inquiry into a protest that occurred on campus on August 13. They have been barred from entering the campus except on specific dates for inquiry proceedings. In their petition to the High Court, filed on October 12, they sought to challenge their suspension and requested provisional acceptance of their examination applications. As the exam dates approached, they filed an interim application, which was initially granted by a Single Judge on October 30, allowing them to sit for the exams.

However, the University contested this interim order, arguing that the students lacked the necessary attendance and had not passed internal assessments required for examination eligibility. The Division Bench agreed with the University’s claims and set aside the interim relief on November 3, citing insufficient evidence regarding the students' qualifications to take the exams based on attendance and assessment regulations.

In their Supreme Court petition, the students assert that the High Court did not consider that their attendance shortfall was a direct result of the suspension imposed by the University. They argue that it is unjust for the University to benefit from a situation it created. The petition also highlights procedural issues, stating that the University raised attendance objections too late for the students to respond adequately. The students contend that the High Court mischaracterized the interim relief as equivalent to the final relief sought in their writ petition, which primarily aims to annul the suspension order.

The implications of this case extend beyond the immediate academic concerns of the students. If the Supreme Court does not grant relief, the students risk losing an entire academic semester, which could have long-term effects on their educational and career trajectories. The next steps will involve awaiting the Supreme Court's decision on whether to grant the interim relief that would allow the students to sit for their exams while the broader issues of their suspension are resolved.