Justice Jasmeet Singh noted that acting is an art that can be developed at any stage of life. The court held that imposing an upper age limit is arbitrary, unreasonable, and violates Articles 14, 19(1)(g), and 21 of the Constitution of India.
“I am of the view that fixing the upper age limit for a diploma has no reasonable nexus with the objective it seeks to achieve. Acting is an art that can be developed and refined at any stage of life; it is not bound by any criteria,” Justice Singh said, as reported by Bar and Bench.
The order was passed in response to a petition filed by two theatre practitioners, Mayank and Vishal Gohar, who were barred from applying due to the age restriction despite meeting all other eligibility requirements.
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The petitioners contended that they were unfairly denied the opportunity to apply due to the NSD’s March 17 notification, which sets an age limit of 18 to 30 years as of July 1, 2026, despite them meeting all other eligibility requirements. They argued that the restriction is arbitrary and infringes upon their fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(g), and 21.
They argued that performing arts are talent-driven fields where ability is not determined by age, making such restrictions unreasonable. They also pointed to NSD’s stringent selection process, arguing that it is merit that determines a candidate’s suitability. They also pointed out that comparable performing arts programmes in India and internationally do not enforce such strict age restrictions.
The court granted interim relief by putting a stay on the upper age limit condition and directed that the petitioners be allowed to apply and take part in the admission process, irrespective of their age.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
