Shimla, June 17,
In a significant ruling, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by HAS officer Mohit Shukla, who sought permission to complete his MBA degree beyond the maximum allowable period of six years.
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The Court emphasized that professional degrees such as the MBA are governed by strict academic schedules, and personal decisions—such as preparing for competitive exams—cannot justify exceptions to these regulations.
Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, delivering the judgment in case CWP No. 4779 of 2025, noted that the petitioner was fully aware of the course structure and the six-year time limit outlined in Clause 10.33 of the First Ordinance of Himachal Pradesh University.
Mr. Shukla, who had taken admission in the MBA program through ICDEOL in the academic session 2015-16 while employed with SJVNL after completing his B.Tech, managed to complete three semesters. However, he skipped the fourth semester exam in 2017, stating that he was preparing for the Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services examination.
He eventually cleared the HAS exam in his third attempt and joined service in January 2020. In 2024, he requested the university to allow him a special chance to complete his final semester. The university declined, citing the absence of any provision for extension beyond the six-year period. The High Court affirmed this stance.
Justice Goel observed, “An MBA is a professional qualification, and six years is ample time to complete a two-year program.” He further remarked that preparing for other competitive exams is a personal decision and cannot be used as grounds for leniency in academic schedules.
The Court also rejected the contention that the university had extended similar relaxation to students from other courses, clarifying that professional programs like MBA do not fall under the same category.
This verdict sends a strong signal that institutions must uniformly adhere to their academic ordinances, and professional programs must maintain their integrity by enforcing time-bound completion.
