Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court recently granted relief to an 18-year-old engineering student whose Scheduled Tribe (ST) quota admission was cancelled over an allegedly forged caste validity certificate, directing authorities to decide her caste claim within six months and reconsider her admission based on the outcome.A division bench comprising Justices Urmila Joshi-Phalke and Nivedita Mehta observed that the student herself was not named as an accused in the criminal case registered over the alleged forged document and that the allegations, at this stage, were confined to her father.The petitioner, a first-year Computer Science and Engineering student at an engineering college in Nagpur, had challenged the college’s decision of June 6, 2026, cancelling her admission under the Scheduled Tribe quota, and a communication issued by Admissions Regulating Authority on May 26.Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee informed the court that the student has already submitted a fresh proposal along with the required documents and assured that her caste claim as belonging to the “Mana” Scheduled Tribe would be decided expeditiously, and in any case within six months.The college and Admissions Regulating Authority submitted that an inquiry was initiated after the petitioner uploaded a caste validity certificate while applying for admission through the online portal. On verification, Scrutiny Committee informed authorities that no such caste validity certificate had been issued by it and that the document relied upon by the petitioner was forged.The respondents further informed the court that, on the directions of Scrutiny Committee, Vigilance Cell registered an FIR, in which the petitioner’s father had been named as an accused, and investigation was underway.After considering the material on record, the bench held that the petitioner herself has neither been arraigned as an accused in the FIR nor are there any specific allegations attributed to her.Taking note of the student’s educational career and future prospects, the court directed Scrutiny Committee to decide her caste claim within six months from receipt of the order.Before disposing of the plea, the bench also directed the college, Admissions Regulating Authority and State CET Cell to reconsider the student’s admission and take an appropriate decision regarding its continuation, subject to the outcome of the caste scrutiny proceedings.# Key TakeawaysStudent’s ST quota admission cancelled over an allegedly forged caste validity certificateScrutiny Committee said the certificate was not issued by itFIR was registered against the student’s father, not the studentCourt found no specific allegations against the petitionerCommittee directed to decide her “Mana” Scheduled Tribe claim within six monthsCollege, Admissions Regulating Authority and CET Cell must reconsider her admission, orders courtFinal decision will depend on caste scrutiny decisionCourt cited student’s education and future prospects
