Andhra HC sets aside 1 year exam ban on MBBS student over alleged malpractice

Nelapadu: Setting aside a one-year examination ban imposed on an MBBS student for alleged malpractice, the Andhra Pradesh High Court held that the university had declared him guilty without providing him with the material relied upon against him or giving him a proper opportunity to defend himself.

Justice Kiranmayee Mandava observed that debarring a medical student from examinations is a serious punishment as it can result in the loss of an academic year and affect the student’s future and directed the university to re-consider the matter.

The court passed the order on August 3 while hearing a petition challenging the ban imposed by the NTR University of Health Sciences. The student had appeared for the MBBS Supplementary Examination in Human Anatomy-II on December 4, 2025. During the examination, he was allegedly found carrying material prohibited inside the examination hall.

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Following this, the university issued him a show-cause notice alleging malpractice. On February 10, the NTR University of Health and Sciences passed proceedings, disqualifying him from appearing for the university examinations for one year, including the examinations of December 2025.

The student approached the High Court through Advocate W V B Shravan, challenging the university's decision.

The counsel argued that the university punished him but never supplied the allegedly seized material, the Special Observer’s report relied upon to hold him guilty. It was also contended that the university failed to establish that the material seized was relevant to the examination paper, which is necessary before imposing a one-year disqualification.

In response, the university claimed that the student was caught with forbidden material hidden in his pockets and under his clothes, and during the said inspection he admitted his guilt. It is further stated that the petitioner was possessing an answer to Question No 11, i.e., Down syndrome.

The university also claimed that the material indicated that the student had asked another student sitting beside him to write the answer to Question No. 2 and pass it to him.

The High Court, however, found that the university had concluded that the student was guilty without furnishing the material on which the finding was based.

"The disciplinary authority imposes the penalty of debarring a student from the examination, it must establish that the material allegedly seized is relevant to the examination concerned. Equally, the student must be afforded a fair and adequate opportunity of being heard, as such a severe penalty may entail the loss of one academic year and seriously prejudice the student’s academic future," the Bench remarked as quoted by Indian Express. 

Therefore, the court said that such a penalty should be imposed only after strict adherence to the principles of natural justice. 

In this case, the court stated that the authorities should have imposed the penalty after providing reasons showing how the seized material was connected to the examination paper and must provide the student with the relevant material of the allegations.

The High Court set aside the university's disqualification order and directed the authorities to reconsider the matter. The university was asked to issue a fresh notice to the student and provide him with all relevant materials.

The court also directed the university to allow the student to pay the examination fee for the upcoming August 2026 examination, subject to the result of the fresh proceedings.

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