The Bombay High Court on Monday directed Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) to accept the examination forms and permit 771 students from its affiliated engineering colleges in Pune, Ahilyanagar, and Nashik to appear for the third and fourth year examinations scheduled to begin on May 20.
Background of the Case
All these students had secured provisional admission to the third or fourth year in July 2025 when SPPU's Circular 209, based on the state government's Government Resolution (GR) of February 2025 declaring the 'carry on' policy, was operative. Advocate Pooja Thorat, representing 751 of the 771 students, informed the Times of India that the policy enabled a student who failed in first- or second-year subjects to secure admission in the first semester of the third or fourth year, as applicable.
Students' Plight
The students in this matter cleared their first or second year backlog subjects but were still denied the opportunity to appear for the impending examinations, Thorat said. The denial prompted legal action.
Interim Order Details
In an interim order, a vacation bench of Justice Gautam Ankhad and Justice Sandesh Patil stated that the appearance and declaration of results of these students shall be subject to the final outcome of a writ petition examining the legality and applicability of the state's 'carry on' system. The High Court directed the university and colleges to complete the verification of marksheets and eligibility credentials of these students within 24 hours from the uploading of this order, ensuring that eligible students can appear for the examinations commencing from May 20, 2026.
Previous Court Orders
Advocates Thorat, Ajit Anekar, Janam Sonpal, and Tukaram Shendge, representing the students, brought to the bench's notice that the High Court had passed orders on April 6, April 27, and May 7, whereby similarly situated students were permitted to fill up examination forms and appear for the third or fourth year examinations, subject to the outcome of the pending writ petition. The bench referred to the November 11, 2025, High Court order that had made an exception for those students who were already given the benefit of Circular 209, and also referred to the April 27, 2026, and May 7, 2026, orders.
Court's Reasoning
The bench stated, 'Considering the above orders and considering that the larger issue concerning the validity and operation of the 'carry on' system is pending adjudication before this court, we are of the prima facie view that the applicants deserve interim protection, so as to avoid academic prejudice at this stage.'
Earlier Developments
In February 2025, the state issued a GR introducing the 'carry on' policy for failed students. SPPU issued Circular 209 based on this GR. A Pune student who had failed in FYLLB exams approached the High Court seeking benefit of the SPPU circular. On September 9, the court declined to grant him relief and expressed 'shock and surprise' over the SPPU circular to promote failed students from first year to third year. The court appointed an amicus curiae on the issue of legality and applicability of the 'carry on' policy and asked all non-agricultural state universities to file affidavits. The matter is posted for hearing on June 12.
