HC says don’t punish students for colleges’ mistakes, orders issuance of hall tickets

Hyderabad: In a big relief to students facing the risk of losing an academic year over administrative lapses by their colleges, Telangana high court has directed authorities to ensure they are allowed to sit for the ongoing Intermediate examinations.The court ordered the Telangana Board of Intermediate Education (TGBIE) to immediately verify the genuineness of claims made by nine students whose colleges failed to remit their examination fees despite collecting the money from them, and to issue hall tickets so they can appear for the upcoming theory exams. Justice EV Venugopal emphasised that errors committed by colleges should not deprive students of their right to take examinations. The students had filed a writ petition after being barred from exams due to what colleges described as ‘clerical errors' in fee remittance. Although the institutions admitted their oversight, the board declined to issue hall tickets, placing the students' academic future at risk. The petitioners argued that they should not be penalised for mistakes beyond their control and even offered to pay the fees again, along with penalties, directly to the board to save their academic year. Observing that students had placed reasonable trust in their institutions to complete administrative formalities, the court termed penalising them for the colleges' negligence a "perverse and clear case of arbitrariness." It also noted that students at such a young age are expected to focus on studies rather than administrative procedures. With first year theory exams scheduled from Feb 25, and second year exams from Feb 26, the court said verification and issuance of hall tickets was feasible. It further directed the board to conduct special practical examinations later, as the regular practicals have concluded, and adjourned the case to March 26 for further hearing. COLLEGES NAMES IN FEE LAPSEAkshadeep Junior College, Jiyaguda, HyderabadCRR Aakash Junior College, Balapur Government Junior College (Boys), NizamabadSri Raama Junior College, MehdipatnamPGR Junior College, KukatpallyTelangana State Model School and Junior College, Veldanda, Nagarkurnool distAkshara Academy of Excellence, MadhapurAllen Carrier Institute, ManikondaJagruthi Junior College, Narsingi