Strict action against college harassment

The Hyderabad District Consumer Commission–1 has imposed a penalty on Mallareddy Engineering College for allegedly withholding a student’s original certificates and demanding additional fees for their release. The commission ordered the college to pay ₹1.10 lakh as compensation to the student.

The student, son of a Nampally resident, had joined a BTech course at the college in 2021 and paid ₹80,000 as first-year tuition fee. Due to financial difficulties, he discontinued the course and requested his original certificates, but the college demanded an additional ₹80,000.

After the student approached the consumer commission, the college returned the certificates. Observing the mental distress caused, the commission ordered compensation to be paid within 45 days, failing which 9% interest would apply.