Student Moves Delhi HC After Jamia Denies PhD Admission

New Delhi: A student has approached the Delhi High Court after allegedly being denied admission to a PhD programme at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) despite being formally selected through the university’s official admission process for the 2025–26 academic session.

The petitioner, Salman Saleem, has filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution, challenging Jamia’s decision to refuse him admission to the PhD programme at the Anwar Jamal Kidwai–Mass Communication Research Centre (AJK-MCRC) under the UGC-NET exempted category.

According to the petition, Saleem had qualified the UGC-NET (June 2024) examination and applied for the PhD programme following Jamia’s admission notification dated October 16, 2025. He was issued an admit card, appeared for the interview, and underwent document verification at multiple stages. His name was later included in the final selection list published on December 19, 2025.

However, when Saleem reported to complete admission formalities between December 23 and December 30, 2025, he was allegedly informed orally by university officials that he would not be granted admission. The university reportedly cited the expiry of his UGC-NET qualification as the reason for denying admission. The petitioner has claimed that no written order or formal communication explaining the rejection was issued by the university.

The petition argues that neither Jamia’s PhD Ordinance nor the UGC Regulations prescribe a cut-off date requiring the NET qualification to remain valid on the date of admission. It further states that Saleem’s eligibility had already been verified during the admission process and that the university’s delay in completing admissions should not be used to penalise a candidate who was otherwise found eligible and selected.

Saleem’s counsel, Advocate Syed Kaif Hasan, described the denial of admission as arbitrary, belated, and legally unsustainable. He stated that the petitioner’s research proposal had been accepted, a supervisor had been assigned, and the academic relationship between the student and the institution had already been established.

The petition also alleged violations of reservation norms, claiming that Jamia failed to disclose and allocate seats category-wise as mandated under Ordinance 6 (VI), thereby affecting transparency in the admission process.

Calling the university’s action arbitrary and unconstitutional, the petition has cited violations of Articles 14, 21, 29, and 30 of the Constitution, arguing that the decision infringes upon the petitioner’s right to equality, education, and legitimate academic expectation after being officially selected.

The matter is expected to be taken up by the Delhi High Court in the coming days.