Bombay HC Upholds Cancellation of B.Tech Admission Over Altered CET Scores
In Mumbai, the Bombay High Court on August 14 dismissed a petition filed by a student challenging the cancellation of his provisional admission to a B.Tech course after official records revealed that his MAH-MHT-CET 2026 scorecards were fabricated.
A bench of Justices Riyaz Chagla and Farhan Dubash ruled against petitioner Shubham Mangire, who sought the restoration of his provisional admission to a B.Tech Renewable Energy Engineering course. The court observed that its extraordinary jurisdiction cannot be used to protect an advantage obtained on the basis of an inauthentic document.
Mangire appeared for the MAH-MHT-CET 2026 PCM examination in April and May. Based on scorecards he initially submitted, he claimed overall percentiles of 78.874707 in his first attempt and 73.5482364 in his second attempt. Following these submissions, he was granted provisional admission on June 23.
However, an investigation by the State CET Cell revealed that his actual overall percentiles were 7.8474707 and 13.5482364. The court noted multiple discrepancies in the subject-wise scores and highlighted that one of the percentiles listed on the disputed scorecard had not been awarded to any candidate in that entire examination session.
A supplementary report from the CET Cell concluded that the scorecards produced by Mangire were tampered with or fabricated and were not generated by the authority. The court stated it found no reason to disbelieve the findings.
The bench clarified that it was not determining whether Mangire himself had fabricated or knowingly used the records, noting that it was not called upon under writ jurisdiction to conduct a criminal investigation and leaving further action to competent authorities.
Terming the circumstances "deeply disturbing," the court stressed that the integrity of examinations is vital when merit decides access to limited educational opportunities. Holding that Mangire had no legal right to continue the course, the bench upheld the decision to cancel his admission.
