JAGRIT KATHURIA AND ORS vs GURU GOBIND SINGH INDRAPRASTHA UNIVERSITY & ORS.

Judgment text excerpt

$~3 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Date of decision: 27th April, 2026. + W.P.(C) 14516/2022 & CM APPL. 56647/2023 JAGRIT KATHURIA AND ORS .....Petitioners Through: Mr. Nikhilesh Kumar, Advocate. versus GURU GOBIND SINGH INDRAPRASTHA UNIVERSITY & ORS. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Harish Malhotra, Sr. Advocate with Ms. Shivani Kher, Mr. Rakesh Lakra and Mr. Rishabh Shivhare, Advocates for R-2. Ms. Manisha Agrawal N. and Mr. Nipun Jain, Advocates for R-3. Ms. Pearl Sharma, Advocate for R-4. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA JUDGMENT SANJEEV NARULA, J. (Oral): 1. The Petitioners, who were engaged as teaching faculty in HMR Institute of Technology & Management, have filed this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution assailing the termination notices dated 16 th September, 2022 issued by Respondent No. 2. They also seek reinstatement with consequential benefits. Facts 2. The dispute, in substance, arises from the termination of teaching Signature Not Verified Dgitally Signed By:AKANSHA SINGH W.P.(C) 14516/2022 Page 1 of 19 Signing Date:01.05.2026 14:24:56 faculty by a private unaided college affiliated to the University. The Petitioners were engaged at different stages between 2011 and 2015. Some of them entered service as Lecturers and were later appointed as Assistant Professors. The appointment record is not uniform in expression. Certain earlier letters described the engagement as temporary or contractual. The later orders, however, referred to appointment as Assistant Professor, placement either in a pay scale or on consolidated salary, probation, selection by a committee, self-appraisal, and governance by the rules and regulations of the University concerned, the State Government and HMRITM. At the same time, the appointment documents containe