The Jharkhand High Court has directed a CBI investigation into a case where students were not allowed to take exams despite being admitted to a Dhanbad technical institution approved by AICTE. The court’s decision came during a hearing of a petition filed by the Principal of Dhanbad Institute of Technology. Strong remarks were made by the court regarding the actions of Jharkhand University of Technology (JUT) and AICTE, calling the issue more than just an administrative error.
The Registrar of JUT appeared before the bench as per the court’s instructions. It was observed that AICTE had approved the petitioner institute for admissions for the academic session 2025-26 on April 30, 2025. Despite this approval, JUT prohibited the enrolled students from taking the exams. The High Court likened the situation to traffic police removing signs to deceive citizens, suggesting that JUT had a similar approach in this case.
The court expressed concerns about potential manipulation of students’ futures and the possibility of corrupt practices by state agencies. Due to the gravity of the accusations, the High Court involved the CBI and ordered a thorough investigation. The CBI is tasked with examining the process that led to the denial of exam opportunities for students who were lawfully admitted, along with investigating the roles of relevant officials. Assistant Solicitor General Prashant Pallav accepted notice on behalf of the CBI, which is required to submit its report within two weeks in a sealed cover. Both JUT and AICTE are obligated to cooperate fully with the CBI.
The case is set for further hearing on February 3.
