$~96 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI # CNR No. DLHC010443162026 + W.P.(C) 13660/2026 & CM APPL. 63811/2026 MOHIT PAL .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Abhinav Sharma, Mr. Ujjwal Jain, Advs. versus GURU GOBIND SINGH INDRAPRASTHA UNIVERSITY, DELHI .....Respondent Through: Adv Mohinder Rupal Adv Hardik Rupal Adv Aishwarya Malhotra Adv Tripta Sharma Ms. Anita Sahani Adv for R1 Ms. Manisha Singh, Adv. for CBSE CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JASMEET SINGH O R D E R % 28.09.2026 1. This is a writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following prayers:- “a) Issue an appropriate writ, order or direction in the nature of Certiorari quashing and setting aside the impugned action of the Respondent dated 07.08.2026 and 12.08.2026 whereby the Petitioner was found ineligible; b) Issue an appropriate writ, order or direction in the nature of Mandamus directing the Respondent to treat the Petitioner as eligible candidate in B. Pharma Course under Sports Quota for the academic session 2026- 27 and 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 09/10/2026 at 13:24:13 provide an opportunity to the Petitioner to participate in the sports trials;....” 2. The brief facts of the case are that the petitioner was a student of Masonic Public School, Vasant. Kunj, New Delhi and is a Volleyball player. The petitioner applied for admission in B. Pharma Course with the respondent University and secured a rank of 746 in the Common Entrance Test. 3. The respondent University issued a notification dated 25.07.2026 inviting applications for admissions under “Sports Quota”. 4. Pursuant thereto, the petitioner being a Volleyball player applied for admissions under the said quota and in support of his application relied upon the following certificates: A. Second position in Junior Boys Volleyball Zonal Competition in 2023, 2024-25; B. Second position in CBSE Cluster Games, 2024-2025. 5. The rule with respect to allocation of marks under the sports category in the notification reads under:- 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 09/10/2026 at 13:24:13 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 09/10/2026 at 13:24:13 6. It is the case of the petitioner that since cluster certificate is akin to State level, he should have been marked accordingly. 7. The respondent No. 2/CBSE has also filed a counter-affidavit, wherein paragraph No. 3 reads as under:- “3. That it is further submitted that in case of Delhi, the Cluster and Zonal Certificates are State Level certificates, so, the CBSE Cluster Merit Certificate may be considered as State Level certificate.” 8. Ms. Sahani, learned counsel for the respondent No. 1 relies upon paragraph Nos. 17, 18 and 19 of the counter-affidavit to urge that the petitioner does not meet the criteria. The relevant paragraphs read as under: “ 17. In the present case, the petitioner has submitted two certificates issued by the Directorate of Education, GNCTD pertaining to Zonal Level competitions under District South West-A Zonal -20. The said certificates do not evidence achievement at the Inter-Zonal or Inter- 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 09/10/2026 at 13:24:13 District level as contemplated under Category F. 18. The petitioner also submitted a CBSE Merit Certificate pertaining to CBSE Cluster XX Volleyball, in which he secured Second Position. However, Category F specifically refers to CBSE National competitions and does not include CBSE Cluster competitions as an eligible category. 20. It is further submitted that the CBSE Games Guidelines relied upon by the petitioner themselves distinguish between Cluster, Zonal and National levels, and specifically list Volleyball as being conducted at Cluster and National levels. The fact that a Cluster-level competition may form part of the progression towards the National level cannot, by itself, convert a Cluster-level certificate into a National-level certificate for the purposes of the eligibility criteria separately notified by the University.” 9. However, in view of the unequivocal stand of the respondent No. 2/CBSE that Cluster and zonal level certificates are equivalent to State level certificates, the said contention of the respondent No. 1 cannot be accepted. 10. I am of the view that once the competent certificate issuing authority has clarified the status of the certificate, the respondent No. 1 University cannot disregard such clarification merely on the basis of “Cluster” appearing on the certificate. In these circumstances, the petitioner cannot be made to suffer on account of a technical 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 09/10/2026 at 13:24:13 distinction sought to be drawn by the respondent University. 11. In view of the aforesaid, it is directed that in light of the position adopted by CBSE, the respondent No. 1 shall consider the cluster certificate as a State level certificate, allocate marks accordingly and if the petitioner meets the criteria, he shall be called for trials. 12. Accordingly, the orders of the respondent No. 1 dated 07.08.2026 and 12.08.2026 are hereby quashed and set aside with respect to the petitioner. 13. The petition is disposed of in the aforesaid terms. 14. The document handed over in Court today is taken on record. JASMEET SINGH, J SEPTEMBER 28, 2026 / (MS) 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 09/10/2026 at 13:24:13