Aug 20, Kathmandu - In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has emphasized that internal sluggishness or administrative delays within a university cannot deny students their rightful recognition and honors. The ruling was issued in response to a petition challenging the decision of Janata Multiple Campus, under Janata University, to award a gold medal to a student with lower scores over the top scorer.

A joint bench of Justices Tek Prasad Dhungana and Shrikant Poudel annulled the university's decision and directed the Higher Education Committee to award the gold medal to Manita Gurung, who scored the highest in the LL.M. examination. The full text of the Supreme Court’s verdict was recently published after being announced on Paush 26, 2082.

Manita Gurung, a student at Chakrabarti Habi Education Academy College of Law affiliated with Janata University, secured 83.12% in her LL.M. exams for the academic session 2018–2020, earning her the top position nationwide. However, the university recommended a gold medal for Yogbahadur Pal, who scored 76.25%. The university justified its decision by stating that students who did not submit their research papers within three months of result publication would be considered regular students, and Gurung had missed this deadline, thus disqualifying her from the medal.

The Supreme Court clarified that a gold medal symbolizes the highest academic achievement and must be awarded based on objective merit. The court stated, “A gold medal is a recognition of the highest academic excellence. Its primary criterion must be substantive merit.” It further ruled that once a student has submitted their research paper within the stipulated time, any delays caused by university administrative processes cannot be held against the student.

The court also emphasized that it is unjust for universities to overlook the highest-scoring students on technical grounds. “The university’s policies and rules should be transparent and strictly adhered to, not just known to students but also enforced,” the verdict noted. The decision declared that the university’s decision to award the medal to Pal, who scored nearly 7% less than Gurung, was flawed, unlawful, and contrary to principles of justice.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court directed Janata University to reform its academic calendar to prevent future delays in conducting exams, publication of results, and research paper submission processes. The court recognized that such delays adversely impact students and ordered university officials, including the Vice Chancellor, Registrar, and Examination Controller, to take corrective measures.

With this verdict, Janata University is now required to award the LL.M. 2077 gold medal to Manita Gurung. This is not the first time the court has issued such a directive; previously, similar rulings were made in cases involving Mahendra Prasad Poudel and Pooja Khatri against the same university.