Promissory Estoppel To Apply Upon Wbnujs For Calling Off The Online Course: Calcutta High Court
Case: Abhishek Panda & Ors V. West Bengal National University Of Juridical Services & Ors 13.06.2022
Shubhi Rathore | Prabhat Bandhulya
The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) started an online course in 2012 for various subjects.WBNUJS is a prestigious college for legal studies and its degrees have high value. Several students enrolled and the courses went on smoothly till the Executive Committee of the University declared that the online course has come to an end. The counsel for the University Grants Commission states that the online course was not approved by the commission. Hence, the course should be cancelled and students must be refunded.
The Court noted that the students have not only spent their money but also given their precious time to the courses and therefore, it would be unjust and inequitable to cancel the course and refund the fees. The doctrine of promissory estoppel would apply upon the University and University Grants Commission. Therefore, neither the university can call off the online course nor the UGC can de-recognise it, because due to the representation of the university the students had altered their position. Hence, the court held that the students who have already enrolled and not completed their course should be allowed to do so online and on completion be given a degree for the same. Though no new enrollments can be taken.