MDU student moves contempt petition against VC for failure to grant PhD degree

A law student of Rohtak's Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) has moved a contempt petition in the Punjab and Haryana high court urging it to initiate contempt proceedings against varsity vice-chancellor Rajbir Singh for failing to obey its direction (dated February 11). The court on February 11, ordered the varsity authorities to confer a PhD degree on a student Pradeep Kumar Deswal within eight weeks. The contempt petition has been put up for hearing on April 29.

On February 11, the single bench led by Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi noted and directed Maharshi Dayanand University to grant the petitioner the Doctorate Degree in Laws, which the petitioner has already acquired, without insisting on refunding the Scholarship amount.

"Let the order be complied with within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of copy of this order," the order stated.

Petitioner's advocate Ravinder Singh Dhull said that the MDU had not granted PhD degree to his petitioner Pradeep Kumar despite issuing a non-objection certificate and a good conduct certificate during the submission of the thesis.

"The Punjab and Haryana high court on February 11 instructed the Maharshi Dayanand University to grant degree to Pradeep Kumar Deswal in a span of eight weeks from the receipt of copy of order. Since the varsity did nothing in this regard, a contempt petition has been moved against the varsity vice-chancellor Rajbir Singh. The case stands posted for hearing on April 29," Dhull stated.

Dhull informed that his petitioner's degree was withheld as he had taken admission in the music department for a diploma in tabla while studying PhD in Law. Dhull pleaded that his petitioner's degree has been pending since 2021.

Justice Sethi in the order noted that the petitioner completed the diploma in 'tabla as part -time course and that too during evening. The justice had asked the varsity to grant the degree within 8 weeks and without insisting upon refunding the scholarship amount.

On contact, Ashish Dahiya, Public relations Director at MDU, informed that he is out of station and does not know about the contempt petition presented by Pradeep Kumar Deswal against vice-chancellor Rajbir Singh.