Today(10th Sept),The Supreme Court has ordered the Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute in Dehradun to release original academic documents for 91 MBBS students, which were withheld over fee arrears. This decision, made by a bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, allows the students to proceed with their careers and medical exams.
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NEW DELHI: Today(10th Sept), In a relief to 91 MBBS students, the Supreme Court has ordered the Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, to release their original academic documents. These documents had been withheld by the medical college due to non-payment of fee arrears. The order comes as a major victory for the students, who had been struggling to move forward with their careers due to the institution’s demands for increased fees.
A bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, took note of the grievances brought forth by the students. Represented by senior lawyer Gaurav Agarwal and advocate Tanvi Dubey, the students argued that without access to their original documents, they were unable to register as medical practitioners or even sit for postgraduate medical entrance exams like NEET-PG.
The bench observed that withholding the documents essentially blocked the students from progressing in their medical careers.
“Without original documents, the doctors are forced to sit idle at home. They can neither participate in counselling of NEET-PG nor start their practice in a hospital,”
-stated advocate Tanvi Dubey during the court proceedings.
The issue arose when Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute implemented a significant fee hike, applying it retrospectively to students who had already completed their MBBS course and one-year internship. Students admitted through the All India Quota saw their fees rise from Rs 5 lakh annually to a staggering Rs 13.22 lakh. Meanwhile, those admitted under the state quota had their fees increased from Rs 4 lakh per annum to Rs 9.78 lakh. The retrospective application of this fee hike was a major point of contention.
The students had challenged the legality of this abrupt fee increase, labeling it as “exorbitant arrears.” They argued that the fee hike was both arbitrary and forcefully imposed on them, long after they had completed their medical education.
The dispute over the fee hike has led to a series of legal battles over the past few years, with petitions still pending in various courts, including the Nainital High Court. The students have repeatedly contested the demand for arrears, arguing that they had no knowledge of such a massive fee increase when they first enrolled.
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According to the students’ counsel-
“If they were aware earlier, they would have never chosen a college in Uttarakhand since they were getting colleges in their home states at a lesser fee.”
The retrospective fee hike not only blindsided the students but also placed an unexpected financial burden on them after they had completed their studies.
The Nainital High Court had earlier directed the students to pay the increased fee in nine instalments. However, the college had issued a stern notice stating that the students would not be allowed to start their internship unless the outstanding dues were cleared. This left many students in a difficult position, unable to start their professional careers.
In its latest ruling, the Supreme Court struck a balance between the interests of the students and the college. It ordered that the college release the original documents of students upon payment of Rs 7.5 lakh, while the remaining arrears could be paid off later. The court also required the students to provide an undertaking to ensure they would settle the remaining amount in the future.
The court’s decision is seen as a major relief for the students who had been left in limbo due to the college’s withholding of their documents. These original documents are essential for registering with the Medical Council of India, participating in NEET-PG, and securing employment in hospitals.
On the other hand, the medical college argued that it faced its own challenges. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the college, highlighted that it becomes difficult for institutions to keep track of pending dues once original documents are released.
“Some students have disappeared, and in some cases, the cheques issued for fee arrears have bounced.”
-Sankaranarayanan pointed out.
The college expressed concern over the financial risks it faces when students fail to meet their financial obligations after their documents have been handed over.
