Back
Supreme Court Orders University To Issue Degree To Cynthia Julious Despite ST Certificate Cancellation
In a significant ruling that balances academic integrity with student welfare, the has directed to declare the withheld results of a pharmacy student and issue her , even though her Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate was cancelled. The bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Manmohan allowed the appeal of Cynthia Julious Charlie, setting aside two orders of the that had denied her relief.
The Journey of a Pharmacy Student
Cynthia Julious Charlie was admitted to the four-year full-time B. Pharma course at a college affiliated with in the academic year under the ST category. However, upon the college's intimation that she was eligible for admission from the , she paid fees at the rate applicable to students throughout her course. She completed her degree in .
The trouble began when the rejected her ST certificate on , for failure to produce sufficient documents substantiating her claim to the Gond tribe. Consequently, the university withheld her 6th and 8th semester mark sheets and , citing the cancellation of her .
The Legal Battle
Aggrieved by the Scrutiny Committee's order, Charlie filed her first writ petition (WP No. 1610 of 2020) before the , Nagpur Bench. The High Court dismissed the petition on , holding that she had failed to prove her tribal status and that her admission could not be converted to the under the applicable rules of the .
Subsequently, the principal of her college issued a on , stating that Charlie had been admitted in the and had paid all fees, and that her documents should be released. Relying on this, she filed a second writ petition (WP No. 4763 of 2024), which was also dismissed on . The High Court held that the earlier order had attained finality and that the principal's communication, which was later withdrawn, could not create a .
Reliance on Precedents
Before the Supreme Court, Charlie's counsel argued that she had paid fees throughout her course and that the university's withholding of her documents was unjustified. The court found merit in her submission and relied on its earlier decisions in and , where similar relief was granted to students whose caste certificates were cancelled but who had paid fees at par with the general category.
The Supreme Court noted that the appellant had not pressed for compensation and focused on the release of her academic documents. The court observed that the university had no justification to withhold her results and degree, given that she had fulfilled all fee obligations.
Key Observations
The court made it clear that the relief was conditional. It stated:
"The appellant shall not place any reliance whatsoever on the certificate indicating that she belongs to the which has in any case been cancelled by the competent authority as being invalid in law in respect of her future studies or public employment."
It further directed:
"The appellant shall also not take any step to seek a fresh certificate on the premise that she belongs to the Scheduled Tribe category of persons."
The Final Verdict
The Supreme Court allowed the appeals and directed the first respondent—University to announce the results of Charlie's 6th and 8th semester examinations. If she has qualified, the university must issue her and return all her original testimonials. The entire exercise is to be completed within three weeks from the receipt of the certified copy of the order.
The judgment underscores the principle that while reservation benefits must be genuine, students who have paid fees and completed their courses should not be denied their academic credentials. At the same time, the court's caveat ensures that the cancelled ST certificate cannot be used for future benefits, maintaining the integrity of the .
