HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.25045 of 2009 ORDER: The petitioner took admission into the first year of M.C.A. course in AQJ Centre of P.G. Studies, MVP Colony, Visakhapatnam, the second respondent herein, which is affiliated to the first respondent- university. After the admissions were made, the second respondent sent the list of candidates to the first respondent for approval, as required under the relevant Regulations. The admission of the petitioner was not approved by the first respondent on the ground that B.Sc degree secured by the petitioner from Alagappa University, Tamilnadu, through distance mode, is not recognized by them. To this effect a letter, dated 18.05.2009, was addressed to the second respondent. The petitioner feels aggrieved by the same and challenges the action of the first respondent in not approving his admission. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Standing Counsel for the first respondent. The candidate must have passed degree course from a recognized university to seek admission into M.C.A. course. The first respondent has the prerogative to recognize the equivalency of the degrees, which have been conferred by various institutions or universities. It is not in dispute that the petitioner obtained B.Sc degree from Alagappa University, Tamilnadu, through distance mode. It was not a regular course. The first respondent examined the matter and made a finding that the degrees of that nature were not recognized by it and refused to accord approval for the admission of the petitioner into M.C.A. course. In the matter of recognition of equivalence of degrees, the individual universities on the one hand and university Grants Commission on the other hand have an important role to play. Recently this Court had an occasion to deal with this issue in W.P.No.22922 of 2006 and batch, dated 02.12.2009. It was held that unless a degree awarded by a deemed university through distance mode is recognized by the University Grants Commission, A.I.C.T.E and Indira Gandhi National Open University in accordance with the prescribed procedure, no one can claim the benefit thereof. The petitioner does not state that the degree awarded by Algappa University, Tamilnadu is recognized by the said agencies. It is urged on behalf of the petitioner that the first respondent did not indicate its policy vis-à-vis the recognition of equivalence and that the petitioner has already completed I semester. This is not a case where the first respondent recognized the decrees awarded by Alagappa University, Tamilnadu, till recently and that it changed the decision after the petitioner was admitted. At no point of time, the first respondent recognized such degrees. The mere fact that the petitioner was on the rolls of the second respondent for some time, does not make any difference. His very admission was subject to approval by the university. Ultimately, the degree is to be awarded by the first respondent and unless approval is accorded by it, the petitioner could not claim any rights. The admission of the petitioner into the course cannot be treated as legal or valid. Hence, the writ petition is dismissed. There shall be no order as to costs. _____________________________ JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY 29th December 2009 dr