The Gujarat High Court has cancelled the decision by the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) to remove three of its PhD students. The court ruled that IIM-A did not follow its own rules when it asked the students to leave. This decision means the students' expulsion orders are now invalid, giving them a chance to continue their studies.
The case involves three first-year PhD scholars: Abhilasha Kumar , Atul Gupta , and Uthara P K . They were studying in IIM-A's Doctoral Programme in Management (DPM). In May , IIM-A asked these students to explain why they should not be removed from the program. They were given only 24 hours to reply. Soon after, an IIM-A committee ordered their removal.
The students tried to appeal this decision. However, the IIM-A Director dismissed their appeal. The Director did not give them a personal hearing to explain their side of the story. This quick process and lack of a hearing became a key point in the court case.
What the Court Said
Justice Nikhil Kariel of the Gujarat High Court looked at the rules for IIM-A's PhD program, which are written in its DPM manual. The court found that IIM-A's actions were against these very rules.
The DPM manual has clear rules for students who do not meet academic standards in their first two years. It states that students should be given an additional year to improve their academic performance. The manual does not say that students should be removed immediately for not meeting first-year standards.
The High Court pointed out that IIM-A did not follow these important steps. Instead of giving the students a chance to improve or a proper hearing, the institute decided to expel them quickly. The court said that because IIM-A did not follow the right procedure, the expulsion orders were "invalid from the very beginning." This means the orders were never valid in the first place.
Student's Side and IIM-A's Argument
Reports mentioned that one student received a poor score partly because an assignment had misleading information, possibly from Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. However, the lawyers for the students argued that even for such a serious matter, the students should have been given a chance to speak and explain themselves in a personal hearing. They said that sending someone away from their studies without a proper hearing is not fair.
IIM Ahmedabad, on its part, stated that it had followed all the rules mentioned in its DPM manual. However, the Gujarat High Court did not agree with this. The court clearly stated that the institute's actions were not in line with its own doctoral program guidelines.
Impact of the Ruling
This court decision is important for students in PhD programs. it highlights that academic institutions like IIM-A must follow their own rules and ensure a fair process for students. Students have a right to be heard, especially when facing serious actions like expulsion. The ruling ensures that institutions cannot remove students without giving them proper time to respond and a fair chance to explain themselves.
For the three students, Abhilasha Kumar , Atul Gupta , and Uthara P K , this means they can now continue their studies at IIM Ahmedabad. The court's order protects their academic future and sets a clear example about following rules in education.
