KAUSTUV DATTA & ORS vs UNIVERSITY OF DELHI & ORS

Judgment text excerpt

$~3 & 4 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Date of Decision: 12th May, 2026. + W.P.(C) 2780/2013 KAUSTUV DATTA & ORS .....Petitioners Through: Mrs. Ankur Gulyani Panda, Advocate. versus UNIVERSITY OF DELHI & ORS .....Respondents Through: Mr. Mohinder Rupal, Mr. Hardik Rupal, Ms. Aishwarya Malhotra and Ms. Tripta Sharma, Advocates for University. Mr. Arjun Harkauli and Mr. Harsh Tyagi, Advocates for UGC. + W.P.(C) 792/2018, CM APPL. 3435/2018 DR KAUSTUV DATTA & ORS .....Petitioners Through: Mrs. Ankur Gulyani Panda, Advocate. versus UNIVERSITY OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Mr. Mohinder Rupal, Mr. Hardik Rupal, Ms. Aishwarya Malhotra and Ms. Tripta Sharma, Advocates for University. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA JUDGMENT SANJEEV NARULA, J. (Oral): 1. These petitions arise out of a common dispute concerning fixation of Academic Grade Pay [“AGP”] of the Petitioners, who were appointed as Assistant Professors in the University of Delhi [“DU”]. W.P.(C) 2780/2013 Signature Not Verified Dgitally Signed W.P.(C) 2780/2013 & W.P.(C) 792/2018 Page 1 of 26 By:AKANSHA SINGH Signing Date:16.05.2026 17:59:05 challenges the office orders issued by DU in March and April 2013, whereby the AGP of the Petitioners was retrospectively refixed at AGP 6000 in place of AGP 7000/8000. W.P.(C) 792/2018 challenges the consequential recovery proceedings, including orders dated 28th December, 2017 and deductions made from the salaries of the Petitioners. Since the issues arising in both petitions are interconnected, they are being disposed of by this common order. Factual Background 2. In May 2009, DU issued an advertisement inviting applications for faculty positions in various departments, including posts of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor in science dep