The Uttarakhand High Court has imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on Renaissance College of Hotel Management & Catering Technology in Nainital for its failure to submit details of admitted students within the stipulated timeframe. The penalty comes after the college approached the court seeking relief for 11 students who were not allotted enrollment numbers by Kumaon University.
College's Plea and the Core Issue
The affiliated college had moved the court with a petition stating that out of 52 students admitted for the 2025–26 academic session, a group of 11 were left without official enrollment numbers from Kumaon University. This administrative gap had a direct and severe consequence: the affected students were unable to fill out their examination forms for the semester exams, which commenced on a recent Saturday.
In its plea, the college sought urgent directions from the court, asking it to order the university to issue the pending enrollment numbers and permit the students to appear for the ongoing examinations without further delay.
University's Defense and the Samarth Portal
Opposing the college's petition, the counsel representing Kumaon University presented a different narrative. He argued that all colleges were explicitly instructed to register their students on the Samarth portal between December 9 and 12, and the petitioner college had been duly informed about this mandatory window.
The counsel asserted that the delay and the subsequent predicament of the students were solely due to the college's own failure to complete the registration process within the prescribed period. He further clarified that while the Samarth portal is operated by the state government, the university had been tasked with managing it starting December 22.
Court's Verdict and the Way Forward
After hearing both sides, a single bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari disposed of the petition in line with the university's submission. The court acknowledged the university's stance that it would now allow the college to register the students on the portal, following which they would be able to submit their examination forms.
However, holding the college accountable for the lapse, Justice Tiwari directed the institution to pay Rs 25,000 as costs to Kumaon University. This fine serves as a penalty for the college's failure to adhere to the critical registration deadline, which jeopardized the academic progress of its students.
The ruling underscores the importance of educational institutions strictly complying with administrative deadlines set by affiliating universities, especially when they directly impact student welfare and examination processes.
