Bombay HC: School records can be corrected even after a student leaves

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court has ruled that a student may seek correction of an error in school records or a leaving certificate even after leaving the institution. The court held that the reason for leaving school cannot be used to deny the right to correction.

The ruling came on a petition by Janabai Himmatrao Thakur, who had applied to the education department to correct her date of birth on a leaving certificate. The department rejected the application on the ground that she had already left school, prompting her to challenge the decision in court.

The government had relied on Rules 26.3 and 26.4 of the School Code, arguing that corrections are permitted only while a student is still studying and not afterwards. The bench also noted that judgments from the Aurangabad and Nagpur benches had differed on the question, which is why the matter was referred to it.

In its clarification, the bench observed that where an error has arisen from oversight or carelessness, the fact that a student has left school cannot be a ground for refusing correction. It said correction is not automatic and requires action by the applicant, who must furnish relevant documents and evidence, with the process to be carried out under established rules.

The decision is expected to help students whose records or leaving certificates carry inaccuracies, including in names, dates of birth and other entries. Such errors can cause difficulties in education, job verification, government schemes and other processes.