- 1 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010427632026 NC: 2026:KHC:52661 WP No. 19387 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 23RD DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S SUNIL DUTT YADAV WRIT PETITION NO. 19387 OF 2026 (EDN-RES) BETWEEN: 1. KARTHIK GOWDA M B S/O BHUJALINGAIAH C, AGED ABOUT 29 YEARS, STUDENT, FIRST YEAR LL.B. (II SEMESTER), BHAGAWAN BUDDHA LAW COLLEGE, MALAVALLI - 571 430, MANDYA DISTRICT … PETITIONER (BY SRI. VIDYASAGAR. H. V., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU - 560 001. 2. THE KARNATAKA STATE LAW UNIVERSITY, REPRESENTED BY ITS REGISTRAR, HUBBALLI, KARNATAKA. 3. THE PRINCIPAL, BHAGAWAN BUDDHA LAW COLLEGE, MALAVALLI - 571 430, MANDYA DISTRICT, KARNATAKA. … RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. RASHMI RAO, HCGP FOR R1; SMT. SARITHA KULKARNI, ADVOCATE FOR R2) Digitally signed by PRAKASH N Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010427632026 NC: 2026:KHC:52661 WP No. 19387 of 2026 THIS W.P. IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO PERMIT THE PETITIONER TO APPEAR FOR THE II SEMESTER LL.B. EXAMINATIONS AND ALL SUBSEQUENT SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS TILL COMPLETION OF HIS LLB, EVALUATE HIS ANSWER SCRIPTS AND DECLARE RESULTS AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN 'B' GROUP, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S SUNIL DUTT YADAV ORAL ORDER The petitioner who is a student pursuing III Year LLB Course in II Semester has filed the present petition seeking for directions to the respondents to permit the petitioner to appear for II Semester LLB examination and all subsequent Semester examinations till completion of his LLB course. 2. The petitioner submits that the College has stated that the Law University has imposed restrictions regarding eligibility for admission to the Third year course of those students who have not completed PUC/11th and 12th Standard and accordingly the petitioner submits that he - 3 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010427632026 NC: 2026:KHC:52661 WP No. 19387 of 2026 has made representation to the Registrar of the second respondent University. 3. The petitioner submits that he has completed his Industrial Training Course at ITI which is equivalent to PUC Course and accordingly submits that the respondents cannot obstruct the petitioner from completing his Law course. 4. Perused the order passed by this court in W.P.No.25719/2026 dated 10.09.2026. The observations made at paragraph 5 reads as follows: "5. The precise issue of eligibility of a student who has completed I.T.I. course, and who has not done his 10+2/II P.U.C. course and eligibility to admit himself to the LL.B. degree programme, has been dealt with in W.P.No.18825/2026. The relevant observations made by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the aforesaid petition reads as follows: - 4 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010427632026 NC: 2026:KHC:52661 WP No. 19387 of 2026 "4. The issue involved in the case is squarely covered by the order passed by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Mr. Abubakar Vs. Karnataka State Law University and Others, wherein the Co-ordinate Bench has, in paragraph No.8, held as follows: "8. By bare reading of the Rules of Bar Council of India and the Regulations of the first respondent-University, it has to be held that a candidate to be eligible for admission to a three year Law Degree Course should have passed a three years degree program from a recognized University and that he should not have obtained 10+2 or graduation through an open University system. Neither the Rules nor the Regulations excludes I.T.I course in lieu of PUC or 11th and 12th standards when a student wants to get admitted to a three year Law Degree Course. When that being the situation, the first respondent- University in its notification for admission to three year Law Degree Course for the academic year 2020-21 cannot insist upon that the students should have only studied in Pre-University or 12th standard. It should consider I.T.I course for two years as equivalent to Pre-University or 12th standard. Further, the notification also does not expressly state that I.T.I is not equivalent to +2. For the said reasons, it has to be held that the second respondent has committed an error in not admitting the petitioner to the course of three year LL.B Degree programme only on the ground that he has not completed +2, but has studied I.T.I before obtaining a valid three year degree from a recognized University." - 5 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010427632026 NC: 2026:KHC:52661 WP No. 19387 of 2026 The Co-ordinate Bench has held that, the qualification of the petitioner therein is equivalent to that of '10+2'. I concur with the order passed by the Co-ordinate Bench. 5. In view of the above discussion, I proceed to pass the following: ORDER i. The writ petition is allowed; ii. The respondents are directed to issue eligibility certificate to the petitioner and admit him to 5 year LLB course, within one month from today; iii. Pending IA(s), if any, shall stand disposed of." 5. In light of the same, it would not be permissible for the second and third respondents to impose restriction or assail the validity of the admission of the petitioner for the LLB Course. 6. Taking note of the order passed in W.P.No.25719/2026 dated 10.09.2026, the petition requires to be disposed of in terms of the following: - 6 - HC-KAR CNR: KAHC010427632026 NC: 2026:KHC:52661 WP No. 19387 of 2026 ORDER Respondent nos.2 and 3 are directed to permit the petitioner to complete his course. However, in light of the submission that writ appeal is filed against the order passed in W.P.No.18825/2026 which had granted similar relief as is being granted in the present matter and that W.A.No.1060/2025 is pending consideration, permission granted to complete the course would be subject to the final orders passed in W.A.No.1060/2025. In the event writ appeal is rejected and the order in the writ petition is confirmed, admission of the petitioner and completion of course would stand regularised. Petitioner to furnish an undertaking by way of affidavit to be bound by the order passed in W.A.No.1060/2025. Accordingly, the petition is disposed of. Sd/- (S SUNIL DUTT YADAV) JUDGE NP