Supreme Court allows student with false ST certificate to keep degree

The Supreme Court has directed an institution affiliated to Sant Gadge Baba Amaravati University to declare the withheld semester results of a pharmacy student and issue her degree certificate, even though her Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate was cancelled. The bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Manmohan noted that the student had paid fees at the open-category rate throughout her course. The court set aside the Bombay High Court's orders, relying on earlier rulings in Ajay Dattatraya Bandewad and Mrudula cases.

The student was admitted in 2014-15 under the ST category but switched to open category after the college informed her she was eligible. Her caste certificate was rejected by the Scrutiny Committee in 2017 for lack of evidence. The university withheld her 6th and 8th semester marksheets and degree. The High Court had twice dismissed her petitions. The Supreme Court clarified that the student cannot use the cancelled ST certificate for future studies or public employment, and cannot seek a fresh ST certificate.