Authority: Supreme Court of India, Civil Appellate Jurisdiction

Order Date: 14 October 2026

Case Overview

  • Appeal No. 2026 (arising out of SLP (C) No. 474 of 2026) filed by Mohd. Asad Choudhary (Appellant) against the State of Himachal Pradesh and others (Respondents).
  • The appellant was admitted to the B.Tech (Civil Engineering) programme at Manav Bharti University under Admission No. R14BTCE0031 and Registration No. MBU‑2014‑0964 for the 2014‑2018 session. He received Detailed Marks Certificates for all eight semesters, Bonafide, Migration and Character Certificates (dated 14‑Sep‑2018) and the degree (dated 15‑Oct‑2018).
  • After graduation he was appointed Sub‑Inspector, State Taxes Department, Jammu & Kashmir. The employer sought verification of his academic credentials through letters dated 19‑May‑2022, 22‑Sep‑2023, 06‑Dec‑2023 and again on 11‑Jul‑2024, stating that appointment remained subject to verification.
  • A complaint alleging sale of degrees led to seizure of the university’s records by a Special Investigation Team, preventing students from obtaining documents. Consequently, a Public Interest Litigation (CWPIL No. 22 of 2022) and related writ petitions (including CWP No. 14955 of 2024) were filed.
  • The Himachal Pradesh High Court, on 01‑Aug‑2022, constituted a Document Verification Committee chaired by the Superintendent of Police, Solan, with the university administrator and the Secretary of HP‑PERC as members.
  • The university, in a letter dated 26‑Jul‑2024, confirmed the appellant’s enrollment, presence in the Green Sheet, and issuance of all certificates, but admitted that his name was omitted from the admission disclosure list sent to HP‑PERC due to a clerical error. A follow‑up letter on 16‑Nov‑2024 reiterated his student status and forwarded the Green Sheet to the employer.
  • The High Court, on 20‑Dec‑2024, dismissed the PIL and related petitions, stating it could not determine the disputed facts and directing students to approach the appropriate court.
  • The respondents argued that the appellant’s name was absent from the admission disclosure list and that there was a discrepancy between the result gazette and the Green Sheet for the 7th and 8th semesters (gazette: 783/1300 & 926/1300; Green Sheet: 863/1300 & 946/1300), rendering verification impossible.
  • The university’s counter‑affidavit reiterated the enrolment, passage of all exams, presence in the Green Sheet, and the clerical omission from the disclosure list, while acknowledging the mark discrepancy.
  • The Supreme Court, after directing the State to verify the marks (order dated 03‑Sep‑2026) and receiving an additional affidavit on 18‑Sep‑2026 confirming the enrolment and the same discrepancy, held that the appellant had unquestionably passed all examinations and earned the degree. The omission from the disclosure list was a lapse attributable solely to the university and could not be a ground for withholding verification.

Final Outcome

  • The Supreme Court set aside the High Court’s 20‑Dec‑2024 order insofar as it affected the appellant.
  • The State of Himachal Pradesh is directed to provide the Committee’s 7th and 8th semester result records to Manav Bharti University.
  • The university shall, on the basis of those records, issue corrected Detailed Marks Certificates for the 7th and 8th semesters and any other necessary documents, and forward a verification report of the appellant’s academic credentials to the Additional Commissioner, State Taxes (Administration and Enforcement), Kashmir within three weeks from the date of this order.
  • Upon receipt of the verification, the employer must release all salary arrears and consequential benefits to the appellant within a further four weeks.
  • The appeal is allowed; no order as to costs; any pending applications, if any, stand disposed of.

Topics: Degree Verification, Higher Education, Court Order