Case: Board of High School &amp; Intermediate Education, U.P. &amp; Others Vs. Kumari Chittra Srivastava &amp; Others

1. This appeal by special leave is directed against the judgment of the Allahabad High Court whereby it allowed the writ petition filed by the respondent, Kumari Chittra Srivastava, hereinafter referred to as the petitioner, and quashed the impugned order but left it open to the Board to High School and intermediate Education, hereinafter referred to as the Board, to reconsider the case after giving the petitioner a chance to offer her explanation.2. The facts are not in dispute and the only question which arises is whether in the circumstances the petitioner was entitled to an opportunity to represent her case before the Board prior to the passing of the impugned order.3. The relevant facts in brief are these. The petitioner was in 1959-60 session a student of Basant Girls Intermediate College, Varanasi. She appeared at the Intermediate examination in 1960 but failed. She then joined the Government Inter College for Girls at Jaunpur. Her name was sent up for Intermediate examination to be held in 1961 by the Principal. She appeared in the examination but her result was not declared by the Board. On May 24, 1961, the Board addressed a letter to the Principal making enquiries regarding the attendance of the petitioner. According to the regulation framed by the Board no candidate can be presented for the Intermediate examination unless he/she has attended during two academical years 75% of lectures given in each subject in which the candidate is to be examined. In the case of failed candidate, like the petitioner the percentage shall be calculated for one academical year, but Regulation 5 (xiii) enables the head of a recognized institution to condone the deficiency in certain cases. This regulation readsThe rule regarding minimum attendance shall be strictly enforced. The head of the recognised institution may condone a deficiency in attendance of not more than :(a) ten days in the case of a candidate for the High School Examination and(b) ten lecturers (including periods of practical work, if any) given in each subject in the case of a candidate for the Intermediate Examination.All cases in which this privilege is exercised shall be reported to the Director of Education as the Chairman of the Board.In the case of failed or detained candidates whose attendance of one year will be taken into account, the shortage to be condoned shall be reduced toPrincipal received the letter when on vacation outside Jaunpur. The Principal replied on June 14, 1961, saying that a proper reply to paragraphs 1 and 2 of the letter will be sent after July 8, 1961. She, however, statedKm. Chitra Srivastava absented herself for a pretty long period on account of her illness, the position was explained to her, besides informing her guardian also who was even called to the office and acquainted with the circumstances. At the time, it was possible for her to make good this shortage by her regular attendance.The teacher in Home Science took leave in February, 1961.Chitra was short in attendance in other subjects also, but she made good the shortage by her regular attendance. When during the days the classes were held, lectures in other subjects were held and the girl attended there, it was not considered proper to detain her from appearing at the examination on account of her absence from lectures in a subject in which the required lectures were not held.I got the student admitted to the examination as I was confident that the officers of the Board will agree with my view.The substance of the letter was that the shortage in lectures wad due to the lecturer taking leave.5. The Board was, however, impatient. It is not clear whether this letter was received by the Board because no reference to it is made in the letter dated July 6, 1961. The Board wrotecontinuation of this office letter No. E. I./617, dated 24th May, 1961 and telegram dated 24th May, 1961 I have the honour to inform that you have not furnished the desired information about the student Km. Chitra Srivastava, Roll No. 50452. From your previous letter No. 143/E dated 6th May, 1961, it is learnt that the admission of the student by you to the examination by condoning her absence from seven lectures on the subject of Home Science was contrary to rules. Hence the students Inter Examination of 1961 is cancelled. Kindly communicate this to the student under intimation to this office.The Principal replied on July 11, 1961, giving details of the lectures attended and requested that the order be cancelled and the severe punishment be not awarded to the petitioner.7. On October 6, 1961, the petitioner filed a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution challenging the impugned order dated July 6, 1961, Mathur, J. dismissed it summarily. On appeal, Srivastava and Katju, JJ., allowed the petition as mentioned earlier. They were of the view that the Board, while cancelling the examination, acted in a quasi-judicial capacity. The Board was "by cancelling the examination inflicting a penalty" and if opportunity had been given to the petitioner to present her case she might have persuaded the Board not to cancel the examination.

Court's reasoning:
We are unable to accept this contention. Whether a duty arises in a particular case to issue a show cause notice before inflicting a penalty does not depend on the authoritys satisfaction that the person to be penalised has no defence but on the nature of the order proposed to be passed.We agree with the High Court that the impugned order imposed a penalty. The petitioner had appeared in the examination and answered all the question papers. According to her she had passed. To deny her the fruits of her labour cannot but be called a penalty. We are unable to appreciate the contention that the Board in "cancelling her examination" was not exercising quasi-judicial functions. The learned counsel urges that this would be casting a heavy burden on the Board. Principles of natural justice are to some minds burdensome but this price a small price indeed - has to be paid if we desire a society governed by the rule of law. We should not be taken to have decided that this rule will also apply when a candidate is refused admission to an examination. We are not concerned, with this question and say nothing aboutwe decline to go into these questions. We are not sitting as a court of appeal and it is for the Board to decide after giving an opportunity to the petitioner and pass such orders as it thinks fit. Whether it has the power to condone the shortage of lectures is for it, at least in the first instance, to decide.