K’taka HC raps institute for retaining original docs of student

Bengaluru: In a major relief for doctors, the High court of Karnataka noted that colleges and universities cannot hold to ransom any individual or students by retaining their original documents, including mark sheets or degree certificates and that the same needs to be returned back to them on completion of the admission procedure.

Dr Reshma,  a student of the Vijayanagar Institution of Medical Sciences in Ballari had appealed to the High Court to direct the institution to return her original documents submitted at the time of admissions.

In her petition, submitted to the court, Reshma mentioned that the institute had withheld her documents on the grounds that she had given an undertaking to serve in rural areas after graduating. However, the institute failed to produce any documents to prove the legal binding nor has it cited any rule in the support of its action to retain the documents. 

Taking cognizance of this, the court directed the college to return all the original documents to the applicant.