Statutory Birth Certificate cannot be overridden by Ossification Test unless forgery is Proved, rules HC

The Allahabad High Court has directed Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Banda, to admit a Class VI aspirant after holding that authorities cannot reject a student’s candidature by doubting a valid birth certificate and relying solely on medical age assessment. The ruling reinforces the legal sanctity of statutory documents and directly impacts school admission practices under the Right to Education framework.

The dispute arose when the student, claiming eligibility based on a birth certificate showing his date of birth within the prescribed admission range, was denied admission after a medical opinion suggested a higher age. The school relied on an ossification test report indicating an approximate age inconsistent with the certificate.

While the petitioner argued that the birth certificate issued by the Gram Panchayat carries a presumption of correctness under law, the authorities defended their decision citing medical verification. The conflict thus centered on whether a statutory document could be overridden by a medically estimated age.

The Court firmly rejected the school’s approach, emphasizing that documents issued under statutory provisions hold binding value unless proven false or cancelled. It noted that medical age determination through ossification tests is inherently imprecise and cannot override documentary evidence. In a key observation, the Court held that “it is not within the domain of the authorities… to doubt the certificate issued under a statutory provision, on its own whims and fancies.” 

Finding the denial of admission contrary to law and the Right to Education Act, the Court ordered immediate admission of the student and directed authorities to rely on medical opinion only in the absence of valid documents.

Case Title: Vimal Singh Vs. Union of India and Ors

Case No.: WRIT - C No. - 14707 of 2025

Coram: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Siddharth Nandan

Advocate for the Petitioner: Adv. Chandra Prakash Awasthi

Advocate for the Respondent: A.S.G.I., Anant Kumar Tiwari, C.S.C., Gambhir Tripathi

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