Metro India News | Hyderabad 

An increasing number of students in Hyderabad have reported that colleges are withholding their original certificates even after they have completed their courses and cleared all dues. In response to a surge in complaints, the Telangana Human Rights Commission (TGHRC) has stepped in, raising serious concerns about the legality and ethics of such practices.

The stakes are high. S. Ramesh, a recent engineering graduate, claims he lost a job offer because he couldn’t submit his degree certificate on time. Other students report similar experiences—employers retracting offers or rejecting candidates at the last minute due to missing documentation. Those seeking higher studies abroad are especially anxious, fearing they may lose admissions due to these delays.

In some shocking cases, students claim they are being asked to pay as much as ₹2 lakh in so-called "unsettled scholarship dues" before certificates are released. For families already burdened with high semester fees, such demands come as a devastating blow. Students are also told that their documents are “stuck in administration,” a reason many see as a deliberate stalling tactic.

SHRC Chairperson Shameem Akther has condemned these practices, calling them illegal and coercive. She emphasized that educational institutions have no legal right to withhold original certificates, particularly when students have completed their academic obligations or chosen to discontinue. Akther further stated that this violates Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to education and personal liberty.

The Telangana Human Rights Commission (TGHRC) has also taken serious note of the issue. In a previous incident, a student from KLR College of Pharmacy was allegedly forced to pay ₹3 lakh—the full course fee—before being given access to their documents.

Legal experts reiterate that certificates are the lifeline of a student's future, and no institution has the right to block them. Students are now calling for stringent action, including blacklisting colleges that flout norms.