Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the highlighted segment in the given sentence.
The marksheets of many students have been withheld by the university.

Correct option is A

The correct substitution of the highlighted words is (a) kept back.
Explanation: “Withhold” means to refuse to give or to keep back. In passive voice, have been withheld ≈ have been kept back. Thus the sentence becomes: “The marksheets of many students have been kept back by the university,” which preserves both meaning and tense/voice. Options (b), (c), (d) change the meaning (examine/distribute/donate), so they are incorrect.
Grammatical rule used: Present perfect passive = have/has + been + past participle (V3). Phrasal verbs in passive keep the particle after the verb: kept back, held up, given out, etc.
Example: Bonuses have been kept back pending the audit.
Information booster:
· keep back / hold back = withhold, not release.
· hand out / give out = distribute.
· give away = donate or reveal a secret.
· go through = examine/inspect.