In a significant decision, the Supreme Court on Monday directed IIT Dhanbad to admit a Dalit youth into its BTech program in Electrical Engineering after he lost his seat due to a missed fee payment deadline. The bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and including Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, exercised its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure that the student, Atul Kumar, would not be deprived of the opportunity.
The court emphasized, “We cannot allow such a young talented boy to go away. He cannot be left in lurch,” acknowledging the potential and circumstances of the petitioner. Kumar, an 18-year-old from Titora village in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, comes from a below poverty line (BPL) family. His father is a daily wager, which contributed to the family’s inability to deposit the required acceptance fee of Rs 17,500 by the June 24 deadline.
Despite his family’s financial constraints, Kumar secured a seat at IIT Dhanbad but faced a significant hurdle when he could not meet the fee payment deadline. His plight led his family to seek help from various bodies, including the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the Jharkhand Legal Services Authority, but they were unable to assist him. Following a suggestion from the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority, Kumar approached the Madras High Court since IIT Madras had conducted the JEE exam. The High Court subsequently directed him to seek relief from the Supreme Court.
