- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:44799 WP No. 29143 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 6TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR WRIT PETITION NO. 29143 OF 2025 (EDN-RES) BETWEEN: M/S. KNOWLEDGEUM TRUST A CHARITABLE TRUST, REGISTERED UNDER TRUST ACT, 1965 HAVING ITS REGISTERED OFFICE AT 16/1, 286/A, 1ST MAIN, 8TH BLOCK, JAYANAGAR, BENGALURU – 560 070, REPRESENTED BY ITS TRUSTEE. DEEPA GOPALAKRISHNA WORKING AS EXECUTIVE HEAD AGED ABOUT 46 YEARS. …PETITIONER (BY SRI S.SRIRANGA, SR.COUNSEL FOR SMT.SUMANA NAGANAND, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU – 560 001 REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY. Digitally signed by CHANDANA B M Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:44799 WP No. 29143 of 2025 2. CHIEF SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL AND LITERACY, STATE OF KARNATAKA, M.S. BUILDING, BENGALURU – 560 001. 3. UNDER SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL AND LITERACY (PRE-UNIVERSITY) DEPARTMENT, STATE OF KARNATAKA M.S. BUILDING, BENGALURU – 560 001. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI V.G.BHANUPRAKASH, AAG A/W SRI MANJUNATH K., HCGP FOR RESPONDENTS NO.1-3) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF CONSTITUTION OF INDIA IS PRAYING TO A. ISSUE A WRIT OF CERTIORARI OR ANY OTHER WRIT OR ORDER AND QUASH THE ENDORSEMENT BEARING NO. EP 22 SHH 2025 DATED 17.07.2025 (ANNEXURE ‘J’) ISSUED BY RESPONDENT NO.3; B. ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS OR ANY OTHER WRIT, ORDER, DIRECTING RESPONDENTS TO ISSUE NO OBJECTION CERTIFICATE TO PETITIONER FOR INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE COURSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH KARNATAKA EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (ISSUE OF NO OBJECTION CERTIFICATE AND CONTROL) RULES, 2022. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:44799 WP No. 29143 of 2025 THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR ORAL ORDER Heard Sri S. Sriranga, learned senior counsel for Smt. Sumana Naganand, learned counsel for petitioner and Sri V.G.Bhanuprakash, learned Additional Government Advocate along with Sri Manjunath K., learned High Court Government Pleader appearing for respondent Nos.1 to 3 and perused the material on record. 2. A perusal of the material on record would indicate that the petitioner is a registered charitable trust running an educational institution under the name and style ‘M/s.Knowledgeum Trust Academy’, which is an authorized IB World School for diploma programme. In this context, the petitioner who was keen on establishing a school with International Baccalaureate (IB) affiliation, submitted an application to respondent No.1 for issuance of No Objection (for short ‘NOC’) for the purpose of obtaining International Baccalaureate (IB) affiliation. The said application having been - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:44799 WP No. 29143 of 2025 rejected by respondent No.3 by issuance of the impugned endorsement, the petitioner is before this Court by way of the present petition. 3. Learned senior counsel for the petitioner submits that respondent No.3 — Pre-University Board is the designated/authorized person who is empowered to issue NOC in favour of the petitioner so as to enable it to obtain affiliation and run International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma course and as such, the impugned endorsement is contrary to law and the same deserves to be set aside. 4. Per contra, learned Additional Advocate General on instructions submits that if reasonable time is granted, respondent No.3 would reconsider the application and issue NOC in favour of the petitioner, subject to the petitioner fulfilling all other requirements. 5. In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances and submissions made by both sides, I deem it just and appropriate to set aside the impugned endorsement dated 17.07.2025, at Annexure ‘J’ and remit the matter back to respondent No.3 for - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:44799 WP No. 29143 of 2025 reconsideration of the application for issuance of NOC, submitted by the petitioner, within a stipulated time and to issue NOC if all the requirements are fulfilled. 6. In the result, the following; ORDER (i) The writ petition is allowed. (ii) The impugned endorsement dated 17.07.2025 is hereby quashed. (iii) Respondent No.3 – Pre-University Board is directed to reconsider the application for issuance of NOC in favour of the petitioner to obtain affiliation to run diploma course in International Baccalaureate (IB) and issue NOC to the petitioner, subject to the petitioner fulfilling all other requirements within a period of two weeks from today. Sd/- (S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE NVJ List No.: 1 Sl No.: 1