Gujarat High Court Quashes IIM Ahmedabad’s Decision to Expel Three PhD Scholars

Gujarat High Court Sets Aside IIM Ahmedabad’s Expulsion of Three PhD Scholars

The Gujarat High Court has overturned the decision of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) to expel three first-year PhD scholars, stating that the institute did not act in line with its own doctoral programme regulations. While IIM-A argued that its action followed the Doctoral Programme in Management (DPM) manual, the court disagreed and declared the expulsion and related decisions invalid.

Background of the Case

The three research scholars — Abhilasha Kumar, Atul Gupta, and Uthara P. K. — were issued notices in May asking them to justify why their candidature should not be terminated due to unsatisfactory academic performance in their first year. They were given only 24 hours to respond before the institute’s executive committee ordered their expulsion. Their appeal against the decision was later rejected by the IIM-A Director without granting them a personal hearing.

Court’s Observations and Verdict

Justice Nikhil Kariel of the Gujarat High Court ruled that the institute’s action violated the provisions of the DPM manual. The court noted that the guidelines clearly allow students an additional year to improve their academic performance before termination is considered. As this provision was not followed, the court declared the expulsion orders void from the beginning.

The High Court further emphasized that failing to meet first-year academic benchmarks alone does not justify immediate expulsion without first completing the prescribed remedial process. It also pointed out procedural lapses, including the short response time given to the students and the absence of a proper hearing.

Reports indicate that one scholar’s poor performance assessment partly stemmed from an assignment containing questionable references linked to AI tools. However, the students’ legal representatives argued that such serious allegations required a fair hearing before any punitive action was taken.

Despite IIM-Ahmedabad’s claim that it acted according to the DPM manual, the High Court concluded that the institute had not adhered to its own procedures and therefore nullified the expulsion and related orders.