APHC010394292024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI WP(PIL) NO: 153 of 2024 Bench Sr.No:-35 [3552] Thandava Yogesh ...Petitioner Vs. The State of A.P. and others ...Respondents ********** Advocate for Petitioner : Party-in-Person Advocates for Respondents : GP for Higher Education Mr. O. Udaya Kumar,Standing Counsel for Sri Krishnadevaraya University Mr. M. Chalapathi, Standing Counsel for Nagarjuna University Mr. Ramesh Babu Talluri, Standing Counsel for Sri Venkateswara University Mrs. K. Radhika CORAM : THE CHIEF JUSTICE DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR SRI JUSTICE CHALLA GUNARANJAN DATE : 29th October 2025 P C : The issue that has been highlighted in the present PIL is with regard to the delay which occurs in making admissions to law colleges which results in disturbing the academic schedule of the candidates who are required to undergo the law courses. 2 HCJ & CGRJ W.P.(PIL) No.153 of 2024 2. The delay is mainly attributed to the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (in short, ‘the Council’). According to Mr. Thandava Yogesh, learned counsel for the petitioner, approximately 9,000 seats are required to be filled up in various law colleges in the State which runs 3 Year LL.B., 5 Year LL.B. and LL.M. courses. 3. According to learned counsel for the petitioner, notification for admissions is issued by the Council somewhere in the month of February and March, the entrance examination is conducted in the month of May and the results generally are declared in the month of June. It is stated that even when the result is declared in or around the month of June, the counseling process is not initiated by the Council even as late as the month of November, which results in late starting of classes for the first semester of the 3 Year LL.B. or 5 Year LL.B. Courses. This, it is stated, violates Rule 10 of the Legal Education Rules, 2008 (in short, ‘the Rules, 2008’). 4. For the current year, it was pointed out to us that the process of counseling had yet not been completed even when we were approaching the month of November. This, it is stated, is despite the fact that the results of the entrance examinations were declared in the month of June. 5. Learned G.P. for Higher Education would submit that there is no statutory time line prescribed under their regulations by which time the entire counseling process has to be completed but what is stated is that on account of its preoccupation and busy schedule, the delay generally occurs. It is stated 3 HCJ & CGRJ W.P.(PIL) No.153 of 2024 that the Council conducts as many as 11 entrance examinations for various courses, be it in the fields of medicine, engineering or law, coupled and followed by counseling session which generally takes time. 6. It was also urged that delay also occurs on account of failure on the part of the Universities to grant timely affiliations to the colleges who approach them for such an affiliation and thereafter delay is also attributed to the Bar Council of India which is required to grant approval of the affiliations granted by the Universities in accordance with Rule 26 of the Rules, 2008, which envisages a temporary approval or regular approval for running a law college. 7. We are convinced that the Council cannot delay the process of completing the admission in various law colleges in the State which does have an adverse effect on the academic curriculum of candidates and therefore we feel that time limits have to be prescribed for initiating and completing the entire admission process so that by a fixed date the colleges can start their academic curriculum. Looking to the past practice that the notifications are generally issued in the month of February and March and the results are declared after conducting the entrance examinations in the month of June, we prescribe the following schedule: -  The notification inviting the applications from eligible candidates for admission in various law courses in the State shall be issued in the 4 HCJ & CGRJ W.P.(PIL) No.153 of 2024 month of February and not later than first week of March of a particular year.  The entrance examination shall be conducted in the month of April and not later than 15th of May of that year.  The result of such an examination shall not be declared later than 15th of June.  Eligible candidates who make up the merit shall be called for counseling not later than one month from the declaration of result in the month of June, which date should not exceed 15th of July in any case, for reasons to be recorded in writing. This period, according to learned G.P. for Higher Education, is required to verify the factum of recognition and affiliation either by the concerned University or by the Bar Council of India. 8. Be that as it may, the counseling process shall be completed, in any case, not later than 25th of August with a view to enable the colleges to start the academic year in the first week of September. 9. With a view to enable the proper and timely completion of the admission schedule, we feel that it is also necessary for the Universities to accordingly prescribe a schedule for either the existing colleges or colleges who wish to get affiliated, so that the entire process of grant of affiliation is completed by the University within a specified time leaving enough time gap for the colleges to approach the Bar Council of India for the requisite approval. 5 HCJ & CGRJ W.P.(PIL) No.153 of 2024 10. It is not out of place here to mention that while fixing the schedule for applying and for grant of affiliation, the concerned Universities shall also keep in mind Schedule XIII of the Rules, 2008, which clearly envisages the last dates for either submission of applications by the colleges or for the colleges to communicate the issue regarding grant or refusal of recognition. 11. The aforesaid schedule shall be applicable from the next year i.e. 2026 onwards. 12. The Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education shall publish the aforesaid schedule for the information of the student community in their notification for the entrance examinations. 13. The petition is, accordingly, disposed of. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous applications pending, if any, shall stand closed. DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR, CJ CHALLA GUNARANJAN, J kbs 6 HCJ & CGRJ W.P.(PIL) No.153 of 2024 119 HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR, CHIEF JUSTICE & HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE CHALLA GUNARANJAN W.P.(PIL) No.153 of 2024 Dt: 29.10.2025 kbs