Supreme Court Orders Uttarakhand Medical College to Release Students' Documents Amid Fee Dispute

The Supreme Court directed a medical college in Uttarakhand to release withheld documents to students despite fee arrears. The court's decision came from a petition by 91 students challenging a previous High Court order. The college must release documents on partial payment and students' promise to pay remaining fees.

The Supreme Court has ordered Dehradun's Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences College to release the documents of students it had withheld due to unpaid fees. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued the directive in response to a petition filed by 91 students.

The students were contesting an August 6, 2024, High Court order that postponed their case to March 2025, contrary to a Supreme Court directive to resolve the matter by July 28, 2023. The students, represented by senior advocate Gaurav Agarwal and advocate Tanvi Dubey, argued that they needed the original documents for further studies and medical practice.

The Supreme Court conditioned the release of documents on partial fee payments and an undertaking to settle the remaining dues later. The issue stems from a fee hike by the college, making the High Court's decision to delay the case burdensome. According to the petition, students have already faced significant financial strain and the additional fees would be unaffordable, risking the validity of their case.

(With inputs from agencies.)