WP(C) NOs. 3117, 3174 & 3390 OF 2018 1 2025:KER:25672 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE MOHAMMED NIAS C.P. WEDNESDAY, THE 26TH DAY OF MARCH 2025 / 5TH CHAITHRA, 1947 WP(C) NO. 3117 OF 2018 PETITIONERS: 1 KERALA STATE SELF FINANCING PHARMACY COLLEGE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (KSSPCMA), CHALAKUDY, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, RAJITHAN E. P. B. (REGISTER NO: 450/2004 DATED 18.08.2004). 2 FR. JOSE MAILADIATH ADMINISTRATOR, NIRMALA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, MUVATTUPUZHA, ERNAKULAM (DIST.), KERALA-686661. 3 PREM KRISHNAN P. P. MANAGING TRUSTEE, KTN COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, CHALAVARA, CHEPULASSERY, PALAKKAD. 4 UNNEENKUTTY P. P. GENERAL SECRETARY, GRACE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, KODUNTHIRAPPULLY, PALAKKAD-678004. 5 SR. ROGER MSJ CHAIRPERSON, DHARMAGIRI ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL TRUST, CHERTHALA, ALAPPUZHA, PIN-688524. 6 DR. PREEJA G. PILLAI PRINCIPAL, KVM COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, KOKKOTHAMANGALAM P.O., CHERTHALA, ALAPPUZHA (DIST.), PIN-688583. 7 FR. VARGHESE PATHADAN DIRECTOR, ST. JAMES COLLEGE OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, RIVER BANK, CHALAKUDY-680307. BY ADVS. SRI.P.RAVINDRAN (SR.) SMT.APARNA RAJAN SRI.SREEDHAR RAVINDRAN WP(C) NOs. 3117, 3174 & 3390 OF 2018 2 2025:KER:25672 RESPONDENTS: 1 ALL INDIA COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION (A STATUTORY BODY UNDER MINISTRY OF HRD, GOVT. OF INDIA), 7TH FLOOR, CHANDRALOK BUILDING, JANPATH, NEW DELHI-110001. 2 KERALA UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES REPRESENTED BY REGISTRAR, THRISSUR-680596. 3 PHARMACY COUNCIL OF INDIA REPRESENTED BY REGISTRAR-CUM SECRETARY, NEW DELHI-110002. BY ADVS. JAYKAR.K.S. ASSISTANT SOLICITOR GENERAL SRI.G.BALU SMT.M.RAMYA RAMACHANDRAN SMT.S.DHANYA (D-418) SRI.R.ANIL BABU SRI.SAJITH KUMAR V. MINI GOPINATH THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 26.03.2025, ALONG WITH WP(C).3174/2018, 3390/2018, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: WP(C) NOs. 3117, 3174 & 3390 OF 2018 3 2025:KER:25672 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE MOHAMMED NIAS C.P. WEDNESDAY, THE 26TH DAY OF MARCH 2025 / 5TH CHAITHRA, 1947 WP(C) NO. 3174 OF 2018 PETITIONERS: 1 MANAGING TRUSTEE, DEVAKI AMMA MEMMORIAL TRUST "MAANU"- 5/493-B1, SASTHRI NAGAR, ERANHIPALAM, KOZHIKODE-6. 2 THE DIRECTOR DALE VIEW COLLEGE OF PHARMACY & RESEARCH CENTRE PUNALAL P.O., VIA POOVACHAL, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695575. 3 DR. SUJA C. PRINCIPAL, CRESCENT COLLEGE OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, ADAYIPARA, P.O. PAYANGADI (R.S), KANNUR-670358. 4 REV. DR. MATHEW MAZHAVANCHERIL DIRECTOR, ACADEMICS & RESEARCH PUSHPAGIRI GROUP OF INSTITUTIONS, THIRUVALLA-689101. 5 DR. B. SREEDHAREEN PRINCIPAL, NEHRU COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, PAMBADY, THIRUVILWAMALA, THRISSUR-680588. 6 FR. MATHEW KURUVILLA ERUTHIPATTU MANAGER, NAZARETH COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, OTHARA P.O., THIRUVALLA-689546. BY ADVS. SRI.P.RAVINDRAN (SR.) SMT.APARNA RAJAN SMT.LIZA MEGHAN CYRIAC SMT.LAKSHMI RAMADAS SRI.SREEDHAR RAVINDRAN WP(C) NOs. 3117, 3174 & 3390 OF 2018 4 2025:KER:25672 RESPONDENTS: 1 ALL INDIA COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION (A STATUTORY BODY UNDER MINISTRY OF HRD, GOVT. OF INDIA), 7TH FLOOR, CHANDRALOK BUILDING, JANPATH, NEW DELHI-110001. 2 KERALA UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES REPRESENTED BY REGISTRAR, THRISSUR-680596. 3 PHARMACY COUNCIL OF INDIA REPRESENTED BY REGISTRAR-CUM SECRETARY, NEW DELHI-110002. BY ADVS. SRI.JAYKAR K.S., SC, AICTE ASSISTANT SOLICITOR GENERAL SRI.G.BALU SMT.M.RAMYA RAMACHANDRAN SMT.S.DHANYA (D-418) SRI.R.ANIL BABU SRI.SAJITH KUMAR V. MINI GOPINATH THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 26.03.2025, ALONG WITH WP(C).3117/2018 AND CONNECTED CASES, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: WP(C) NOs. 3117, 3174 & 3390 OF 2018 5 2025:KER:25672 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE MOHAMMED NIAS C.P. WEDNESDAY, THE 26TH DAY OF MARCH 2025 / 5TH CHAITHRA, 1947 WP(C) NO. 3390 OF 2018 PETITIONERS: 1 SUDHA.M GENERAL SECRETARY, EZHUTHACHAN NATIONAL ACADEMY,MARAYAMUTTOM, NEYYATTINKARA, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM- 695124 2 THE TRUSTEE NATIONAL COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, MANASSERY, KOZHIKODE-673 602. BY ADVS. SRI.SREEDHAR RAVINDRAN SMT.LAKSHMI RAMADAS RESPONDENTS: 1 ALL INDIA COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION (A STATUTORY BODY UNDER MINISTRY OF HRD, GOVT. OF INDIA)7TH FLOOR, CHANDRALOK BUILDING, JANPATH,NEW DELHI-110 001 2 KERALA UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES REPRESENTED BY REGISTRAR, THRISSUR-680596 3 PHARMACY COUNCIL OF INDIA REPRESENTED BY REGISTRAR- CUM SECRETARY, NEW DELHI- 110 002. BY ADVS. JAYKAR.K.S. WP(C) NOs. 3117, 3174 & 3390 OF 2018 6 2025:KER:25672 ASSISTANT SOLICITOR GENERAL SRI.G.BALU SMT.M.RAMYA RAMACHANDRAN SMT.S.DHANYA (D-418) SRI.R.ANIL BABU MINI GOPINATH THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 26.03.2025, ALONG WITH WP(C).3117/2018 AND CONNECTED CASES, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: WP(C) NOs. 3117, 3174 & 3390 OF 2018 7 2025:KER:25672 MOHAMMED NIAS C.P., J. ======================================= W.P.(C) Nos.3117, 3174 & 3390 of 2018 ======================================= Dated this the 26th day of March, 2025 J U D G M E N T These writ petitions are filed with the following prayers; “ i) Declare that for institutions already running Pharm D course with the approval of Pharmacy Council of India and affiliated to the 2nd respondent University do not have to obtain AICTE approval; ii) Declare that para 2.11.2 of the Approval Process Handbook of AICTE for the year 2018-19 has no application to institutions already running Pharm D course with the approval of the Pharmacy Council of India and affiliation to the 2nd respondent University; iii) Issue any other such writ, order or direction as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and necessary in order to meet the ends of justice on the facts and in the circumstances of the instant case; and iv) Award the costs of this case to the petitioner.” 2. The learned Counsel appearing for both sides submitted WP(C) NOs. 3117, 3174 & 3390 OF 2018 8 2025:KER:25672 that the issue is covered in their favour by the judgment of the Supreme Court in The Pharmacy Council Of India v. Dr.S.K.Toshniwal Educational Trusts Vidarbha Institute of Pharmacy & Others (2021 (10) SCC 657). The relevant portion of the judgment is extracted here under; “ In the field of pharmacy education and more particularly so far as the recognition of degrees and diplomas of pharmacy education is concerned, the Pharmacy Act, 1948 shall prevail. The norms and regulations set by PCI and other specified authorities under the Pharmacy Act would have to be followed by the institutions concerned 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 PCI shall only be followed by the institutions imparting degrees and diplomas in pharmacy. The questions are answered accordingly. ” Given the above, these writ petitions are allowed as prayed for. Sd/- MOHAMMED NIAS C.P., JUDGE LU WP(C) NOs. 3117, 3174 & 3390 OF 2018 9 2025:KER:25672 APPENDIX OF WP(C) 3174/2018 PETITIONER EXHIBITS : EXHIBIT P1 TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT EXTRACT OF THE PARA 2.11.2 OF AICTE APPROVAL PROCESS HANDBOOK 2018-19. EXHIBIT P2 TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT EXTRACT OF THE APPENDIX 17 OF AICTE APPROVAL PROCESS HANDBOOK 2018-19. WP(C) NOs. 3117, 3174 & 3390 OF 2018 10 2025:KER:25672 APPENDIX OF WP(C) 3390/2018 PETITIONER EXHIBITS : EXHIBIT P1 TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT EXTRACT OF THE PARA 2.11.2 OF AICTE APPROVAL PROCESS AND BOOK2018-19 EXHIBIT P2 TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT EXTRACT OF THE APPENDIX 17 OF AICTE APPROVAL PROCESS HANDBOOK 2018-19 RESPONDENT EXHIBITS : EXHIBIT-R3(A) TRUE COPY OF THE CIVIL APPEAL NO.3797 OF 1996 ORDER DATED 29.03.2000 ISSUED BY THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA. EXHIBIT-R3(B) TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED 08.09.04 OF THE HON'BLE BOMBAY HIGH COURT IN THE CASE OF SHRI PRINCE SHIVAJI MARATHA BOARDING HOUSE'S COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE & ORS VS.STATE OF MAHARASHTRA & ORS - WP(C) NO.594/2004. EXHIBIT-R3(C) TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 10.01.2005 IN SLP (C) NO.26936/2004 OF THE HON'BLE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA. EXHIBIT-R3(D) TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED 12.07.2005 OF THE DELHI HIGH COURT IN THE CASE OF MS.SHARMISHTHA DAS VS.UNION OF INDIA & ORS. - WP(C) NO.2669/2005. EXHIBIT-R3(E) TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT OF THE HON'BLE SUPREME COURT IN THE CASE OF ASSOCIATION OF MANAGEMENT OF PRIVATE COLLEGEES VS.ALL INDIA COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION & OTHERS- (2013) 8 SCC 271. EXHIBIT-R3(F) TRUE COPY OF THE PHAMACY PRACTICE REGULATIONS, 2015. WP(C) NOs. 3117, 3174 & 3390 OF 2018 11 2025:KER:25672 APPENDIX OF WP(C) 3117/2018 PETITIONER EXHIBITS : EXHIBIT P1 TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT EXTRACT OF THE PARA 2.11.2 OF AICTE APPROVAL PROCESS HANDBOOK 2018-19. EXHIBIT P2 TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT EXTRACT OF THE APPENDIX 17 AICTE APPROVAL PROCESS HANDBOOK 2018-19. // True Copy // PA To Judge