TN Veterinary & Animal Sciences University directed to admit Overseas Citizen of India card holder
The Madras High Court said that holding a Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card is sufficient for admission under NRI quota.
Published: 30th August 2019 04:05 AM
Madras High Court (Photo | EPS)
By Siva Sekaran
Express News Service
CHENNAI: Holding that for admission of a candidate having US citizenship in a university in India, the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card issued by the Central government alone is the sufficient document, the Madras High Court has directed the TN Veterinary & Animal Sciences University to admit an OCI card-holder in the first year BVSC & AH degree course for 2019-20.
Justice G Jayachandran gave the direction on Wednesday while allowing a writ petition from Karnan Jayabalan, a US citizen holding the OCI card, praying for a direction to the university to admit him in the course without insisting on proof of employment of NRI (specimen-III) and NRI bank account.
Earlier, advocate Hema Muralikrishnan told the judge that as per the prospectus, the OCI cardholders/Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) have been granted parity with NRIs. The prospectus also specifically excludes the NRI/OCI/PIO for consideration under the foreign national quota.
While so, having pursued his course throughout in Tamil Nadu, but being a citizen of the US and OCI cardholder, his only option is to compete along with the NRIs/wards of NRI/NRI-sponsored candidates under the NRI quota. As per the prospectus, he submitted the OCI card issued by the Union government, the only document available with him to prove that he is an OCI.
However, the university rejected his plea for admission, Hema contended. She referred to an amendment made to the Citizenship Act in 2015 and claimed admission to her client.
Accepting her arguments, the judge pointed out that the amendment had been made to accord the OCI cardholders certain rights. As a consequence to provide education for PIO and OCI candidates, parity has been drawn along with NRIs.
The documents necessary to prove the status of an NRI is entirely different from the documents that have to be submitted by a PIO/OCI. To prove PIO/OCI status, the card issued by the Centre would be the one and only document. The prospectus does not say anything about other documents.
Hence, the petitioner should be admitted, the judge said and accordingly gave the direction with a condition that the candidate should pay the fees only in US dollars and not the equivalent Indian currencies.
The Madras High Court said that holding a Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card is sufficient for admission under NRI quota.
Published: 30th August 2019 04:05 AM
Madras High Court (Photo | EPS)
By Siva Sekaran
Express News Service
CHENNAI: Holding that for admission of a candidate having US citizenship in a university in India, the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card issued by the Central government alone is the sufficient document, the Madras High Court has directed the TN Veterinary & Animal Sciences University to admit an OCI card-holder in the first year BVSC & AH degree course for 2019-20.
Justice G Jayachandran gave the direction on Wednesday while allowing a writ petition from Karnan Jayabalan, a US citizen holding the OCI card, praying for a direction to the university to admit him in the course without insisting on proof of employment of NRI (specimen-III) and NRI bank account.
Earlier, advocate Hema Muralikrishnan told the judge that as per the prospectus, the OCI cardholders/Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) have been granted parity with NRIs. The prospectus also specifically excludes the NRI/OCI/PIO for consideration under the foreign national quota.
While so, having pursued his course throughout in Tamil Nadu, but being a citizen of the US and OCI cardholder, his only option is to compete along with the NRIs/wards of NRI/NRI-sponsored candidates under the NRI quota. As per the prospectus, he submitted the OCI card issued by the Union government, the only document available with him to prove that he is an OCI.
However, the university rejected his plea for admission, Hema contended. She referred to an amendment made to the Citizenship Act in 2015 and claimed admission to her client.
Accepting her arguments, the judge pointed out that the amendment had been made to accord the OCI cardholders certain rights. As a consequence to provide education for PIO and OCI candidates, parity has been drawn along with NRIs.
The documents necessary to prove the status of an NRI is entirely different from the documents that have to be submitted by a PIO/OCI. To prove PIO/OCI status, the card issued by the Centre would be the one and only document. The prospectus does not say anything about other documents.
Hence, the petitioner should be admitted, the judge said and accordingly gave the direction with a condition that the candidate should pay the fees only in US dollars and not the equivalent Indian currencies.
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