WP/578/2026 of SAMUDRALA RAGHURAUM Vs The State of Telangana on 16 April 2026

:ORDER:

This Writ Petition is filed seeking the following relief "lo issue an appropnate writ, order or dfection more padicularly a Writ of Mandarntis, declanng the action of Respondent No.5 it1 withholdng the petitioner's original ceftificates as i//egal. arbitrary and uncotlstitLttional and violation of the principles of natural justice, and restrain the institution/colleges from withholding original ceftificates due to oulstanding amounts hom the governmen[ or an']/ including unpaid fees and regulations mentroned under Rule 2(F)(6) and Rule 4 (C ) issued by the U.G C notification vide lile No.14-4/2012 (CPP-1 ) in October 2018 and violations issued by Respondent No.4 vide letter dated 05.08.2024 and volatrcn of Aflicle 14. 19 and of Constitution of lndia consequently, direct respondents to issue a the original cedificates and documents (SSC INTERMEDIATE and LL|S) which are holdng with respondent No.5 and pass. . . " 16 APR|L, 2026

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2. Heard Ms.Ch.Sneha, learned couns:r representing Mr.Y.Anjaneyulu, learned counsel for the petitic r er and Assistant Government Pleader for Higher Education appea,t ,o for respondent Nos.1 to 3, lt/r Malipeddi Srinivas Reddy, learned.;tanding Counsel for Osmania University appearing for Respondent I o.4. There is no representation for respondent No.5.

3. Case of the petitioner is that the petitior er pursued his Engineering course in respondent No.5 Co I rqe and upon completion of his studies; he approached the rranagement for return of his original certificates by making severa 1)p resentation s. However, respondent No.5 refused to return his o.t Jrnal certificates and insrsted him to pay the entire fee for the full i r-rr year course, relying upon the latest circular issued by respo^ Jent No.4 vide Ref. Lr No OSO8/TGCHE/Refund of Origina : r,2024, dated 05.08.2024 Hence, the present writ petition.

4. Learned counsel for the petitloner submits th;r the Telangana counsel of Higher Education, vrde Lr.No.050g/T(; )HE/Refund of Originals/2O24. dated 05.OB 2024 has diret :ed ail the U niversities/Colleges not lo withhold or retain the ori; nal certificates wp t78 2025 of students and not to insist upon payment of fees from students who are eligible for fee reimbursement.

5. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner had secured an offer from a reputed company but, due to the action of respondent No.5 College in withholding his original certificates, he has been irretrievably deprived of availing the said opportunrty; it is further submitted that the petitioner is not in a financral position to pay the amount demanded by respondent No.5, and that such withholding of original certificates is illegal, arbitrary, and unjustified, and therefore, the petitioner seeks a direction to respondent No.5 to forthwith return his original certificates.

6. Perused the record

7. ll is not in dispute that the petitioner has completed his studies in respondent No.5 College and his original certificates are in the custody of the said College A bare perusal of the LT.No.TGCHE/Fee Reimbursement/2024, dated 23.O2.2024 issued by the Secretary, Telangana State Council of Higher Education. reveals that specific instructions were issued directing all affiliated Private Colleges not to insist upon payment of tuition fees from students who are eligible for the fee reimbursement from the State ap 578 2026 Government. Further, as per the guidelines of Ll, lC no college is entitled to withhold or refuse to return any dor t nents, including degree or diploma certificates or any other award i deposited with it by students for the purpose of seeking admission

8. The certificates, being personal and aca(l rnic credentials, are undoubtedly the property of the pet t :ner. ln such circumstances. respondent No.S-College ha s no authority whatsoever to retain the said certificates and th - retention of the petitioner's original certificates by respondent No.5 is wholly unjustrfied and cannot be sustained. Even al;r uming that the College has any monetary claim against the petili, ner, withholding his original certificates cannot be adopted as a rr ;de of enforcing such claim The proper remedy, if any available k, he College is to proceed in accordance with law for recovery of itr jues and not by depriving the petitioner of hrs rightful original certifir; rtes

9. For the foregoing discussion, this Writ Pr,l tron is allowed, directing respondent No.5 to forthwith return the or- ;inal certificates of the petitioner to him, within a period of one (1) week, from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. No costs.

w To, wp_57E 2015 Pending miscellaneous applications, if any, shall stand closed ,^ SD/. M.NAGAMANI A SISTANT REGIST //TRUE COPY// ECTION OFFICER The Chief Secretary Secretariat Buildings' S taria Hyderabad, State of

Telangana

2. The Principa I Secretary, Higher Education Departmen Secretariat Buildings' Secretariat, Hyderabad, State of Telangana

3. The Chairman' Telangana counsel for Higher Education, HYderabad Telangana Opp. tVlahavir Hospital, Masab Tank, Hyderabad 500028

4. The Vice Chancellor, Osmania University' Hyderabad'

5. The Chairman, Sri Marri Laxman Reddy' tVlarri Laxman Reddy lnstitute of Technology and Management, Dundigal' Telangana' (BY SPAD)

6. One CC to SRI ANJANAYULU YADANABOYINA' Advocate IOPUCI

7. ONE CC tO SRI MALIPEDDI SRINIVAS REDDY' SC FOR OU IOPUC] S.TwoCCstoGPFoRHIGHEREDUCATIoN,HighCourtfortheStateof Telangana, at HYderabad [OUT]

9. Two CD CoPies BSR i t t I tti !I ti

I I I : , I h I I

/ HIGH COURT DATED: 1610412026

ORDER

WP.No.578 of 2026 ALLOWING THE WRIT PETITION, WITHOUT COSTS CC TODAY irlE SIe oo 1 I APR 2O?$ z * - -1. i' : i .(r:.1rrJ-'t -:j."- ' _, -. t. -i': . -' \ \ 2A . :l.ll . i t i II I i tI ,t u!l