India, Dec. 10 -- The Gujarat high court has set aside the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA)'s expulsion of three students after they were denied promotion from the first to the second year coursework in the Doctoral Programme in Management (DPM), saying the institute had no power to do so under its manual.

Justice Nikhil S Kariel said the institute had no power to remove students at the end of the first year for academic shortfall. He added the expulsion orders issued on June 7 and confirmed in appeal on June 18 were without the authority of law.

The three, Abhilasha Kumar, Atul Gupta, and Uthara PK, were asked on May 22 to explain within 24 hours why their candidature for the second year should not be withdrawn for faili...