Malla Reddy Engineering College Fined Rs 1 Lakh Over Withheld Student Certificates
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-I has fined Malla Reddy Engineering College Rs 1.10 lakh for illegally withholding a student's original certificates. The ruling follows a complaint regarding the college demanding extra fees, which resulted in the student losing four academic years.
Highlights
- •The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-I fined Malla Reddy Engineering College Rs 1.10 lakh.
- •The fine was imposed for withholding a student's original certificates after he withdrew from his course.
- •The student faced a four-year academic delay due to the college's demand for additional fees.
- •The college must pay the compensation within 45 days or face 9% interest on the amount.
A significant legal development has occurred in Hyderabad, where the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-I has imposed a substantial penalty on a prominent educational institution. The Malla Reddy Engineering College has been ordered to pay a fine for its controversial decision regarding withholding student certificates. This action, which hindered a student's academic future, has now been officially sanctioned by consumer authorities.
The case involves a student who enrolled in the B.Tech AI & Machine Learning program at the college's Maisammaguda campus back in October 2021. As part of the standard enrollment protocol, the institution took custody of his Class 10 and Intermediate original certificates. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen financial hardship, the student was unable to continue his education beyond the first semester.
Legal Action Against Withholding Student Certificates
When the student and his father attempted to retrieve the essential documentation, the college management reportedly demanded an additional payment of Rs 80,000. Lacking the resources to meet this demand, the student was unable to reclaim his documents, which subsequently led to a setback of four academic years. This situation eventually prompted the family to file a formal complaint with the consumer commission in September of the previous year.
Upon receiving the official notice from the Consumer Commission, the management of Malla Reddy Engineering College returned the original documents to the student and requested the dismissal of the proceedings. However, the commission recognized the significant distress caused by the institution’s actions, noting that the conduct resulted in severe mental agony for the student.
In its final order, the commission directed the college to pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation for the mental hardship and an additional Rs 10,000 to cover legal costs. The institution has been granted a period of 45 days to comply with these requirements. Should the college fail to meet this deadline, the total compensation amount will be subject to an interest rate of 9% until the payment is settled. This ruling serves as a stark reminder to educational institutions regarding the protection of student rights and the legal implications of withholding academic documentation.
