- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:32519-DB WA No. 6 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 30TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA WRIT APPEAL NO.6 OF 2026 (EDN-RES) BETWEEN: KARNATAKA STATE OPEN UNIVERSITY MUKTHAGANGOTRI, MYSORE - 570 006 REP. BY ITS REGISTRAR. …APPELLANT (BY SRI. T.P. RAJENDRA KUMAR SUNGAY, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. SMT. RITA KUMARI RANA W/O. RAKESH RANA, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, R/O. SAKHRA VILLAGE, CHAMBI POST, TEHSIL SUNDER NAGAR, MANDI DISTRICT, HIMACHAL PRADESH-175018 ALSO R/AT NO.6, T.S.LANE, COTTONPET CROSS, AKKIPET, BANGALORE-560053. 2. UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY O/AT BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG, NEW DELHI - 110 002. ALSO HAVING ITS OFFICE AT SOUTH WESTERN REGIONAL OFFICE (BANGALORE) P.K. BLOCK, PALACE ROAD, Digitally signed by C K LATHA Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:32519-DB WA No. 6 of 2026 GANDHI NAGAR, BANGALORE - 560 009. …RESPONDENTS THIS WRIT APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO CALL FOR RECORDS AND SET ASIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 17.10.2025 PASSED IN W.P.NO.26303/2025 (EDN-RES) BY THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE OF THIS HON'BLE COURT AND DISMISS THE SAID WRIT PETITION BY ALLOWING THIS WRIT APPEAL, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY. THIS APPEAL COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA ORAL JUDGMENT (PER: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA) 1. The appellant-Karnataka State Open University has preferred the present appeal challenging the order dated 17.10.2025 passed by the learned Single Judge in Writ Petition No. 26303/2025 (EDN-RES). 2. The petitioner had filed the aforesaid writ petition, inter alia seeking a direction to the appellant-University to consider her case for issuance of Convocation/Degree Certificate by placing reliance on the earlier judgment of this Court in Snehalatha P vs State of Karnataka and Others (W.P No.8638/2016) and Rakesh Ranjan - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:32519-DB WA No. 6 of 2026 Sinha vs Karnataka State Open University and Others (W.P No.23197/2023). 3. The petitioner had joined the appellant-University through NET Academy for pursuing MSc (Mathematics) course for the academic years 2011-2013, completed the course in the year 2014. On 16.06.2015, the University Grants Commission (UGC) issued a notification de-recognising the appellant-University. Consequently, the degrees issued by the appellant-University were also not recognised, and students, who had completed their courses were not being treated as having obtained valid qualifications. Several writ petitions came to be filed challenging the said action. Those writ petitions were disposed of by holding that the candidates who had secured admission up to and including the academic year 2012-2013 would be entitled to the award of their degrees, irrespective of the year in which they passed the final examination. Following the earlier decisions, the learned Single Judge allowed the writ petition in terms of the impugned order. 4. The issue arising in the present appeal is no longer res integra and stands concluded in series of decisions of this Court, including the decision in Snehalatha P, which has been referred to - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:32519-DB WA No. 6 of 2026 in the impugned order. In W.P No. 24293/2021 (Suhas M and Others vs. KSOU and Another) which has also been referred in the impugned order, the order of the learned Single Judge was challenged by the appellant in Writ Appeal No.1257/2022. The said appeal came to be dismissed on 12.12.2024. The Special Leave Petition preferred by the appellant against the said decision in SLP (Civil) Diary No.21427/2025 was also dismissed by the Supreme Court by order dated 14.10.2025. 5. It is also pertinent to note that against the order passed in W.P No. 23197/2023, the appellant had preferred Writ Appeal No. 515/2024. The said writ appeal was dismissed observing that the issue involved was substantially identical and that the decision in Suhas M had already been affirmed up to the Supreme Court. 6. In view of the above consistent judicial pronouncements covering the issue, we find no merit in the present appeal. Accordingly the appeal stands dismissed. 7. However, time granted by the learned Single Judge for issuing the degree certificate is extended for a further period of four weeks from date. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:32519-DB WA No. 6 of 2026 8. Pending applications also stand disposed of. Sd/- (VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/- (K.S. HEMALEKHA) JUDGE CKL List No.: 1 Sl No.: 10