$~131 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI # CNR No. DLHC010437262026 + W.P.(C) 13487/2026 & CM APPL. 62906/2026 ANIRUDH GARG .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Utsav Jain, Adv. versus UNIVERSITY OF DELHI AND ANR. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Mohinder Rupal, Mr. Hardik Rupal, Mr. Aishwarya Malhotra and Mr. Tripta Sharma, Advs. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JASMEET SINGH O R D E R % 15.09.2026 1. This is a writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following reliefs:- “a) Issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction, thereby directing the Respondents to permit the Petitioner to appear in the One-Time Exception backlog examination scheduled to commence w.e.f. 22.09.2026....” 2. The brief facts of the case are that the petitioner took admission to the three-year LLB programme in Law Centre-I, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi in the year 2022. The petitioner appeared for the third semester exam in the month of December, 2024 and could not clear the Constitutional Law-I exam. Thereafter, the petitioner appeared for the same exam in December, 2025 and could not clear it again. 3. A letter dated 08.08.2026 has been shown, wherein the Proctor, This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 17/09/2026 at 12:12:00 University of Delhi assured that Constitutional Law-I exam would be re-conducted. 4. By Notice dated 29.08.2026, the respondents introduced a one-time exceptional examination for final-year students carrying backlogs in Semesters I to IV, scheduled to commence from 22.09.2026, but restricted its benefit to students who had appeared in the VI Semester, May-June 2026 Examination. The said notification reads as under: 5. The petitioner accordingly submitted an application dated 01.09.2026 and e-mails dated 02.09.2026 seeking permission to appear in the said This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 17/09/2026 at 12:12:00 examination; however, the Respondents have neither responded to nor decided his request. 6. The petitioner contends that such exclusion bears no rational nexus with the object of the one-time examination, namely, enabling students to clear their backlogs without loss of an academic year, and is therefore arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. Since the Petitioner's LL.B. degree is also a prerequisite for appearing in the December 2026 entrance examination for the LL.M. programme in Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code at National Law University, Delhi, and the said examination is subject to an upper age limit. 7. It is the case of the petitioner that since the petitioner could not clear the third semester paper, the petitioner should be permitted to appear in the exam that is going to be held on 22.09.2026, as per the above- referred impugned notice dated 29.08.2026. 8. For the said reasons issue notice. 9. Mr. Rupal, learned counsel accepts notice on behalf of the respondents. 10. He states that the impugned notice dated 29.08.2026 was issued specifically for students who had appeared in the sixth semester from May - June, 2026. It is further stated that the exams for 1, 3 and 5 semesters are held in December-January and 2, 4 and 6 semesters in May/June-July. Hence, the candidates who have appeared for May/June-July term for the batch of 2024 to 2026, who could not clear their exam, should not be made to wait till May/June-July, 2027. 11. Learned counsel also states that the impugned notice dated This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 17/09/2026 at 12:12:00 29.08.2026 makes an intelligible classification and specifically excludes persons like the petitioner who belonged to an earlier batch, who have already had one opportunity to clear the said exam. 12. Having considered the submissions, I find that the classification made by the University under the impugned notice cannot be said to be arbitrary or without a rational basis. The notice seeks to address a specific situation arising in respect of students of the 2024-2026 batch who had recently appeared in their final semester examination and, having failed to clear the same, would otherwise have been required to wait for the next examination cycle. The distinction between such students and students of earlier batches, who had already been afforded an opportunity to clear the concerned examination, bears a reasonable nexus with the object sought to be achieved by the impugned notice. 13. In these circumstances, I find no ground to interfere with the classification adopted by the University or to direct that the benefit of the impugned notice be extended to the petitioner. 14. However, since the petitioner has made a representation, the same should be decided by the respondent No. 1/ University immediately i.e. within two (2) days from date of uploading of the order. 15. The petition is disposed of in the aforesaid terms. JASMEET SINGH, J SEPTEMBER 15, 2026 / (MS) (Uploaded on 16.09.2026) This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 17/09/2026 at 12:12:00