Supreme Court orders Telangana's ‘Princeton’ colleges to disclaim links with US varsity

The Supreme Court recently directed six educational institutions in Telangana using the name 'Princeton' to prominently declare that they have no connection whatsoever with Princeton University in New Jersey, United States [The Trustees of Princeton University v. The Vagdevi Educational Society & Ors.].

A Bench of Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and K Vinod Chandran passed the direction while disposing of appeals filed by Princeton University in an ongoing trademark dispute.

The Court said the American university’s reputation and goodwill deserved protection and observed that prospective students could be misled by the use of its name by other educational institutions.

“There can be no doubt that the petitioner, an Ivy League school in the United States of America (USA), has its reputation and goodwill to protect. Students may well be misled by the use of its name by others offering educational courses,” the Bench observed.

The dispute arose from a suit filed by Princeton University against Telangana-based Vagdevi Educational Society and others, who run six educational institutions under the name 'Princeton'. The suit is currently pending before the Delhi High Court.

A single-judge Bench of the High Court had refused interim relief to Princeton University. However, a Division Bench partly reversed that decision in September 2025, holding that the university had established a prima facie case. At the same time, it found that the balance of convenience did not favour a complete injunction because the Telangana institutions had been using the name since 1991 and operated only within the State.

Therefore, the High Court restrained the respondents from using the name 'Princeton' for any new institution during the pendency of the suit, but allowed them to continue using it for existing institutions subject to certain conditions.

The university then approached the top court.

The Telangana institutions also filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against the High Court's interim directions.

After examining the contentions of both sides, the Supreme Court said additional safeguards were necessary to protect the interests of both Princeton University and prospective students.

Accordingly, it directed the Telangana 'Princetons' to publish a disclaimer on their websites, prospectuses and admission material stating in clear terms that they have no connection whatsoever with the Princeton University in USA.

The Court made it clear that the disclaimer on the website must appear in the largest font size used on the site.

The Court also directed the institutions to publish quarter-page notices in Deccan Chronicle and Eenadu on alternate days between June 1 and June 12 clearly stating that the six institutions have no connection with Princeton University in the United States.

Further, the institutions were directed to display boards carrying the same disclaimer outside each campus and to print the disclaimer in clear and bold letters on certificates issued to students.

The Bench ordered that these directions be implemented before the commencement of the admission process for the next academic year.

While disposing of the case, the Court clarified that all issues in the underlying trademark suit remain open to be decided by the Delhi High Court and reiterated the High Court’s observation that the parties should endeavour to have the suit decided expeditiously.

Senior Advocate Chander Lall along with advocates Nancy Roy, Ananya Chug, Divye Chugh, Rachit Raushan, Shivangi Agnihotri and Manish Sharma appeared for Princeton University.

Senior Advocate Aditya Sondhi along with advocates Kishor Lambat, Suja Joshi, Kashmira Lambat, Devika Dhawan, Rijuk Sarkar of Lambat & Legiteam appeared for Vagdevi Educational Society from Telangana.

[Read Order]

The Trustees of Princeton University v. The Vagdevi Educational Society & Ors.