Delhi High Court – Orders
Sonekar College Of Education vs National Council For Teacher Education … on 30 June, 2025
$~25
* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
+ W.P.(C) 8610/2025
SONEKAR COLLEGE OF EDUCATION .....Petitioner
Through: Mr. Gaurav Arora, Adv.
versus
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR TEACHER EDUCATION &
ANR. .....Respondents
Through: Mr. Anuj Kapoor, Mr. Shivom
Sethi and Mr. Nandeesh Nanda,
Advs.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE RENU BHATNAGAR
ORDER
% 30.06.2025
CM APPL. 37115/2025 (Exemption).
Allowed, subject to all just exceptions.
CM APPL. 37114/2025 (Stay)
1. The present writ petition has been filed under Article 226 of the
Constitution of India, by the petitioner institution, seeking to set aside
the Order dated 26.05.2025 (hereinafter referred to as “Withdrawal
Order”) issued by the Western Regional Committee of the National
Council for Teacher Education (hereinafter referred to as “NCTE”),
whereby the petitioner’s recognition was withdrawn.
2. It is the case of the petitioner that a Show Cause Notice (SCN)
dated 04.04.2025, was served upon it, raising objections regarding
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non-submissions of Performance Appraisal Report (PAR) by the
petitioner to the NCTE. However, due to inadvertence or otherwise,
the said SCN was not responded to within the stipulated time.
Consequently, the withdrawal order was passed withdrawing
recognition of the petitioner institution.
3. Learned Counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents
submits that the impugned order is amenable to challenge by way of
statutory appeal under Section 18 of the National Council for the
Teacher Education Act, 1993 (hereinafter referred to as “The Act“).
The said provision outlines the appellate remedy available to a party
aggrieved by orders passed under Sections 14, 15, or 17 of the said
Act and mandates that the appeal be filed in the prescribed manner
and within the prescribed period. The provision is set out below:
“18. Appeals.–(1) Any person aggrieved by
an order made under section 14 or section 15
or section 17 of the Act may prefer an appeal
to the Council within such period as may be
prescribed.
(2) No appeal shall be admitted if it is
preferred after the expiry of the period
prescribed therefore: Provided that an appeal
may be admitted after the expiry of the period
prescribed therefore, if the appellant satisfies
the Council that he had sufficient cause for not
preferring the appeal within the prescribed
period.
(3) Every appeal made under this section shall
be made in such form and shall be
accompanied by a copy of the order appealed
against and by such fees as may be prescribed.
(4) The procedure for disposing of an appeal
shall be such as may be prescribed: Provided
that before disallowing an appeal, the
appellant shall be given a reasonable
opportunity to represent its case.
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(5) The Council may confirm or reverse the
order appealed against.”
4. Learned Counsel for the respondents relying upon the order
passed by the High Court of Judicature at Madras in W.P.(C) No.
21575/2025, on 18.06.2026 titled Ezhil Teacher Training Institution
vs. NCTE & Ors., submits that relief should be granted to the
petitioner subject to filing an appeal before the Appellate Court before
the NCTE.
5. Learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that similarly placed
institutions have already approached this Court and an interim order
staying the withdrawal order is already in operation.
6. Learned Counsel for the petitioner placed reliance on the order
dated 22.05.2025 passed in W.P.(C) 7008/2025 titled “Ram Krishna
College v. National Council for Teacher Education & Anr.”,
wherein this Court was pleased to grant interim protection to the
petitioner therein despite the pendency of an appeal.
7. During the course of the arguments, the petitioner has also
placed reliance on the orders dated 18.06.2025 and 23.06.2025 passed
by this Court in W.P.(C) 8459/2025 titled “Doctor Jai Mangal Singh
Prathmik Prashikshan Sansthan v. National Council for Teacher
Education and Anr.” dated 18.06.2025 and in W.P.(C) 8513/2025
titled “Vinayak College of Education v. National Council for
Teacher Education and Anr.” respectively.
8. Taking into consideration the parity of circumstances and the
interim relief granted in the above-mentioned matters, so as to keep
consistency in the orders passed by this Court, the present petition is
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required to be listed before the concerned Roster Bench on
20.08.2025, where similar matters are listed for further consideration.
9. In the meanwhile, the impugned Withdrawal Order is stayed till
the date of next hearing and petitioner is permitted to participate in
counselling and admit students for academic session 2025-2026.
RENU BHATNAGAR, J
(VACATION JUDGE)
JUNE 30, 2025
Pr/my
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This is a digitally signed order.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 02/07/2025 at 21:38:03