The Supreme Court on Monday directed IIT Dhanbad to grant admission to Atul Kumar, a Dalit student who lost his seat after missing the deadline to submit the required admission fee. Atul, an 18-year-old from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, had cleared the JEE exam and was allotted a seat in Electronics Engineering at IIT Dhanbad. However, he couldn't pay the Rs 17,500 fee by the June 24 deadline.
Legal Battle for Admission
Atul, the son of a daily wage laborer who earns Rs 450 a day, had to seek legal help to fight for his admission. After unsuccessful attempts in the Jharkhand High Court and Madras High Court, he approached the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court's Response
During the hearing, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, leading the bench, expressed concern over Atul’s situation. He said, “We cannot allow such a young talented boy to go away. A Dalit boy is being made to run from pillar to post."
The student's lawyer explained that the family had struggled to gather the fee from villagers, making it a significant challenge for them.
IIT Dhanbad's Stand
The advocate representing IIT Dhanbad stated that Atul was notified via SMS and WhatsApp messages to complete the payment. However, Justice Pardiwala questioned why the institution was opposing his admission despite these efforts, saying, “Why are you not finding the way out?”
Court's Final Decision
Chief Justice Chandrachud emphasized that Atul's only obstacle was the inability to pay Rs 17,000. He added, “No child should be left like this just because he doesn't have fees of Rs 17,000.” Following this, the court ordered IIT Dhanbad to grant Atul his rightful admission.
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