College Can't Withhold Student's Original Certificates To Recover Fees, Must Proceed As Per Law To Recover Dues: Telangana High Court

Holding that a college cannot retain a student's original academic certificates as a means of enforcing any monetary claim, the Telangana High Court has directed a private engineering college to forthwith return the original certificates of a student who had discontinued his B.Tech. course.The court was hearing an engineering student's plea who had a quarrel with certain senior students wherein the petitioner alleged he was physically attacked by his seniors; subsequently one of the senior students had committed suicide pursuant to which a case was lodged against the petitioner and after which he had discontinued his studies. A Single Judge Bench of Justice Juvvadi Sridevi observed:“The said certificates, being personal and academic credentials, are undoubtedly the property of the petitioner. In such circumstances, respondent No.4-college has no authority whatsoever to retain the said certificates and the retention of the petitioner's original certificates by respondent No.4 is wholly unjustified and cannot be sustained. Even assuming that the college has any monetary claim against the petitioner, withholding his original certificates cannot be adopted as a mode of enforcing such claim, the proper remedy, if any available to the college is to proceed in accordance with law for recovery of its dues, but not retain the petitioner's original certificates.”The Court was hearing a writ petition filed by CH. Muralidhar, who sought return of his study certificates and other original documents allegedly withheld by the Siddhartha Institute of Technology and Sciences despite a written application dated 04.02.2026.According to the petitioner, at the time of admission into B.Tech. (Mechanical Engineering) in first year, the college management retained all his original certificates, including his SSC Memo, Intermediate Marks Memo, Transfer Certificate, Study and Conduct Certificates, bonafide certificates of 10th Class and Intermediate, and other original documents. He stated that he attended classes only for about 15 days.The petitioner further stated that on 21.09.2025, a quarrel took place in which seniors allegedly attacked him and his friends, resulting in injuries. It was also stated that, in connection with the incident, one senior committed suicide and a case was registered against the petitioner. Thereafter, he discontinued his studies and began residing with his parents in Khammam district.His grievance before the Court was that when he sought return of his original certificates, the college refused even to receive his application and demanded payment of the entire fee for the remaining three years. He then sent another application through RPAD on 04.02.2026, which was received by the college on 05.02.2026, but no action was taken.Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the original certificates were required by the petitioner to secure employment and sustain his livelihood, and that no dues were pending against him. It was argued that the action of the college in withholding the documents was illegal and arbitrary.After perusing the record, the Court noted that it was “not in dispute” that the petitioner had submitted the original certificates at the time of admission and had thereafter discontinued the B.Tech. course. The Court held that these documents are the petitioner's personal and academic credentials and that the college had “no authority whatsoever” to retain them.The Court made it clear that even if the college believed it had a monetary claim, it could not compel payment by withholding original certificates. If any dues were to be recovered, the Court said, the institution must take recourse to remedies available “in accordance with law.”Accordingly, the writ petition was allowed, and the college was directed to forthwith return the petitioner's original certificates.Case Title: CH. Muralidhar v. State of Telangana & Ors.Case No.: Writ Petition No.6865 of 2026Appearance: Mr. Amaragoni Malsoor Goud for the Petitioner; Mr. K. Sharath, Assistant Government Pleader for Higher Education, for respondent No.1; Mr. M. Mehboob Ali, Standing Counsel for AICTE, for respondent Nos.2 and 3.Click Here To Read/Download Order

College Can't Withhold Student's Original Certificates To Recover Fees, Must Proceed As Per Law To Recover Dues: Telangana High Court

Ananya Tangri

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