PUNE: The Bombay High Court (HC) on May 18 granted interim relief to engineering students who had taken admission to higher academic years under the controversial ‘carry on’ scheme, allowing them to fill the examination forms and appear for the upcoming Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) examinations. The petitioners expect nearly 751 third-year and final-year engineering students to benefit from the order.
Interim relief was granted by a division bench of justices Gautam Ankhad and Sandesh D Patil while hearing interim applications challenging the ‘carry on’ system implemented through the Maharashtra government’s February 10, 2025 government resolution (GR) and the SPPU’s circular number 209. The students (petitioners) had approached the court after the SPPU allegedly prevented eligible students from filling the examination forms and appearing for the examinations despite them having secured provisional admissions under the scheme and later having cleared their backlog subjects.
During the hearing, counsel for the applicants argued that the university had incorrectly interpreted the Bombay HC’s earlier order dated November 11, 2025 in writ petition 11651 of 2025. While the court had directed universities not to continue the ‘carry on’ scheme prospectively, it had also clarified that students who had already availed the benefit during the academic year 2025-26 would remain protected under the exception clause mentioned in the order. The court observed that the applicants had secured admissions when circular number 209 was in operation; and had attended lectures, practicals, and other academic activities. It also noted that the students had subsequently cleared their first- or second- year backlog examinations.
Referring to earlier orders passed in similar matters, the bench held that the students deserved interim protection to avoid academic prejudice at this stage. The court directed the SPPU to accept the examination forms of the eligible applicants and permit them to appear for the third- and fourth- year examinations scheduled from May 20, 2026. The judges clarified that the students’ appearance in the examinations and declaration of results would remain subject to the final outcome of the pending writ petition challenging the legality and applicability of the ‘carry on’ system. The court further directed the university and respective colleges to verify the marksheets and eligibility credentials of the applicants within 24 hours to ensure that eligible students are able to appear for the examinations.
{{/usCountry}}Referring to earlier orders passed in similar matters, the bench held that the students deserved interim protection to avoid academic prejudice at this stage. The court directed the SPPU to accept the examination forms of the eligible applicants and permit them to appear for the third- and fourth- year examinations scheduled from May 20, 2026. The judges clarified that the students’ appearance in the examinations and declaration of results would remain subject to the final outcome of the pending writ petition challenging the legality and applicability of the ‘carry on’ system. The court further directed the university and respective colleges to verify the marksheets and eligibility credentials of the applicants within 24 hours to ensure that eligible students are able to appear for the examinations.
{{/usCountry}}Advocate Avinash Solunke, appearing for the students, said that the court’s intervention had protected the academic future of hundreds of students. “Courts exist to protect justice, not to destroy students’ futures through technical interpretations. Education is a student’s right and no student should suffer because of administrative misunderstanding,” he said. Welcoming the decision, student representative Mahesh Kamble said, “We are grateful to the Bombay HC for protecting the students’ right to education and ensuring that eligible students are not subjected to injustice due to incorrect interpretation of the order.”