IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE E.V.VENUGOPAL WRIT PETITION No.5275 of 2026 DATE OF ORDER: 19.02.2026 Between:

Gandi Abhignya ...Petitioner AND The State of Telangana, rep. by its Principal Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Secretariat, Hyderabad and others ...Respondents

ORDER :

This Writ Petition, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, is filed seeking the following relief:

“…to issue Writ, Order or Direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus questioning the action of the respondent No.3 in withholding the custody of the original Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Intermediate Pass certificate-cum- Memorandum of Marks, Intermediate Transfer Certificate and Study Conduct certificate of the petitioner as illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional and subsequently direct the respondent No.3 college to release the original Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Intermediate Pass certificate-cum-Memorandum of Marks, Intermediate Transfer Certificate and Study Conduct certificate of the petitioner and pass...”

2. Heard Ms. R.Sandhya, learned counsel representing Sri Nageshwar Rao Pujari, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri K.Sharath, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Higher Education, for respondent No.1 and perused the record.

3. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner appeared for TS EAPCET-2024 and subsequently secured admission under the management quota in the CSE/CSC Department of respondent No.3 college. At the time of admission, the college insisted on submission of original educational certificates (SSC, Intermediate Marks Memo, Transfer Certificate, and Study/Conduct Certificate) as a mandatory requirement and collected a tuition fee of Rs.3,00,000/- for the first year. The petitioner attended classes for about three months but was forced to discontinue his studies due to financial difficulties and health issues. He and his parents informed the college about the said decision to withdraw and requested the return of his original certificates. However, the college authorities refused to return the certificates unless he paid the remaining three years’ tuition fee amounting to Rs.4,00,000/-. Despite being informed about applicable UGC guidelines prohibiting educational institutions from withholding original certificates for non-payment of future fees, the college allegedly continued to retain the documents unlawfully.

4. It is further contended that the action of respondent No.3 in withholding his original certificates is illegal, arbitrary, and contrary to established legal principles and UGC norms. The continued retention of the certificates is severely affecting his future prospects. As he does not wish to continue his studies in the said college, he has filed the present writ petition seeking appropriate directions for return of his original certificates.

5. Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Higher Education does not dispute the said submissions made by the counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner.

6. The Division Bench of this Court in its Judgment dated 24.01.2020 passed in W.P.No.21137 of 2019 in D.Vaishnavi vs. State of Telangana had struck down paragraph No.7 (iii) of G.O.Ms.No.114, dated 05.07.2017 i.e., original certificates submitted by the petitioner/ candidate shall not be returned to them, till they complete their course of study and appear for the University examination holding it as un- constitutional. A similar view was taken by this Court in Mahatma Gandhi Law College, NTR Nagar, Hyderabad v. State of Telangana vide Judgment dated 09.12.2022 passed in W.P.No.22417 of 2018. A Similar view was also taken vide Judgment of this Court dated 29.10.2024 passed in W.P.No.25559 of 2024 in Lakshmi Saranya v. The State of Telangana.

7. The relevant portion of the order of this Court dated 03.06.2024 passed in W.P.No.34185 of 2023 is extracted hereunder:

6. A Division Bench of t