In Brief
The University of Kerala sought to affiliate a new B.Tech course offered by an engineering college. The University's Syndicate had prescribed additional eligibility criteria (50% pass rate, good academic audit scores, 50% average intake in prior years) beyond AICTE's minimum standards. The High Court held that without University Statutes in force at the time, only the Vice-Chancellor could act under emergency provisions, and that the University could not exceed AICTE's Regulations. The Supreme Court upheld the University's power to prescribe enhanced norms independently, finding that this power flows from the University Act itself, not subsidiary Statutes. Universities may set higher standards than AICTE's minimums without diluting them, and their role cannot be subordinated to AICTE's advisory authority.",
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