If you are stuck in such a situation, here is what to do.

A final-year B.Com student, Rohan Sharma, from Adarsh College of Business in the city of Vikrampur, finds himself in a distressing situation. For over a year, his final semester result from Vikrampur University has been marked as “Result Kept in Reserve” (RKR). This is despite him having cleared all previous backlogs and diligently completing every formality required by both his college and the university.

Rohan has made numerous attempts to resolve the issue. He has submitted attested copies of all his marksheets from the first semester to the fifth, his final semester pass result, and the result for his cleared backlog. His college principal provided a stamped and signed forwarding letter dated June 10, 2024, which was submitted to the university’s Board of Examinations. Despite repeated visits to both the college and the university, he is caught in a loop of being sent from one office to another with no concrete answers or resolution. This endless cycle has caused him significant mental stress and financial strain, putting his career and future academic plans on indefinite hold. He has noticed that he is not alone; many other students are facing similar delays, but the lack of a unified voice makes it difficult to get the authorities’ attention.

Advice in such cases

If your educational institution is causing an unreasonable delay in declaring results or issuing certificates, you are not helpless. Here are the steps you can take:

• Maintain a complete record of all documents, including marksheets, fee receipts, correspondence, and application forms.
• Send a formal, written representation to the Registrar and Controller of Examinations of the university via registered post, clearly stating the issue and the relief sought.
• If there is no response, the next step is to send a legal notice through a lawyer. This often prompts the administration to act.
• Consult with Lawyer: The very basic and important step to start is talk to Lawyer / advocate. You should not hesitate in paying his consultation fee i.e. might be in range of Rs. 10,000 to 50,000 depends case to case. He is helping you in this situation of come out. He is expert in the domain and can help you explain the procedure which you might have never explored. A good lawyer can get the issues resolved much faster than you think.
• File a complaint with the appropriate District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission for deficiency in service.
• For a more immediate and powerful remedy, you can file a Writ Petition in the High Court.

Applicable Sections of Law

This situation is primarily governed by administrative and consumer law, not criminal law like the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The key legal provisions are:

• The Consumer Protection Act, 2019: The Supreme Court has, in several judgments, held that education can be considered a “service” under this act. A university withholding results without a valid reason amounts to a “deficiency in service.” A student can approach a Consumer Commission seeking compensation for the mental agony and loss of opportunity, along with a direction to declare the result.
• Article 226 of the Constitution of India: This article empowers High Courts to issue writs. A student can file a Writ of Mandamus to compel the university (a public body) to perform its statutory duty, which includes the timely declaration of results. The court can direct the university to declare the result within a specific timeframe.

If you are the complainant

As the student who is initiating the action, you are the complainant. Your role is to be proactive and systematic.

• Compile a master file containing all your academic records, communication with the university, and proof of submission of documents.
• Draft a clear timeline of events, noting every visit, the name of the official you met (if possible), and the outcome of each interaction.
• Consult with Lawyer: The very basic and important step to start is talk to Lawyer / advocate. You should not hesitate in paying his consultation fee i.e. might be in range of Rs. 10,000 to 50,000 depends case to case. He is helping you in this situation of come out. He is expert in the domain and can help you explain the procedure which you might have never explored. A good lawyer can get the issues resolved much faster than you think.
• Follow your lawyer’s advice carefully, whether it is to send a legal notice or to proceed with filing a case in a consumer court or high court.

If you are the victim

Being the victim of administrative apathy can be frustrating. It is crucial to channel this frustration into constructive legal action.

• Understand that you have a legal right to receive your results and degree certificate in a timely manner after fulfilling all academic requirements.
• Do not be intimidated by the university’s bureaucracy. The law provides remedies against such inaction.
• Consult with Lawyer: The very basic and important step to start is talk to Lawyer / advocate. You should not hesitate in paying his consultation fee i.e. might be in range of Rs. 10,000 to 50,000 depends case to case. He is helping you in this situation of come out. He is expert in the domain and can help you explain the procedure which you might have never explored. A good lawyer can get the issues resolved much faster than you think.
• Keep a record of the opportunities you have lost due to the delay, such as job offers or admissions to higher education programs, as this can be crucial for claiming compensation.

How the police behave in such cases

The police have no role to play in such matters. This is a civil and administrative issue, not a criminal one. Approaching the police to file a complaint against the university for withholding results would be futile. The police station is not the appropriate forum, and they will rightly refuse to register an FIR as no cognizable criminal offence is made out. Your remedy lies with consumer courts and the High Court, not with the police or the criminal justice system governed by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

FAQs people normally have

What evidence is required?

To build a strong case against the university, you will need to gather comprehensive evidence, including:

• Student ID card and enrollment/registration proof.
• Fee receipts for all semesters/years.
• Admit cards and marksheets for all previous examinations.
• Proof of clearing any backlogs (ATKT).
• Copies of all applications, letters, and emails sent to the college and university.
• Postal receipts (Registered AD) for any formal communication sent.
• The forwarding letter from your college principal.
• Any communication received from the university, however brief.

How long will the investigation take?

Since this is not a criminal matter, there is no “investigation” in the police sense. The duration for a resolution depends on the legal path you choose.

• A legal notice typically gives the university 15 to 30 days to respond. The issue might be resolved at this stage.
• A case in the Consumer Commission can take anywhere from a few months to over a year, depending on the workload of the commission and the complexity of the case.
• A Writ Petition in the High Court can often lead to a quicker initial order, sometimes within a few hearings, where the court might direct the university to provide a reason for the delay or to declare the result provisionally. However, the final disposal of the petition can still take several months.

Advocate Sudhir Rao, Supreme Court of India