SC extends relief to an 18-year-old Dalit student

He had missed the deadline to pay his admission fee for IIT Dhanbad

He had failed to pay the fee on time

The Supreme Court of India, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, on Monday extended relief to an 18-year-old Dalit student from Uttar Pradesh who missed the deadline to pay his admission fee for IIT Dhanbad despite clearing the JEE exam. Atul Kumar, from Muzaffarnagar, was unable to pay the required fee of Rs 17,500 by the June 24 deadline due to financial difficulties, even though he had crowdfunded the amount from his village.

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The three-judge bench, including Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, ordered Kumar’s admission into the electrical engineering course at IIT Dhanbad, creating a supernumerary seat to ensure no other student’s seat is disturbed. The court took into account the student’s economic and social background, with his father being a daily wage laborer.

Despite opposition from the IIT Seat Allocation Authority, the court stressed that leaving a talented student in the lurch was unacceptable. “We cannot allow such a young talented boy to go away,” remarked the bench.

The CJI personally congratulated Kumar, wishing him “all the best,” while the student’s lawyer noted that several senior advocates had offered to sponsor his fees. The court further directed that Kumar receive all consequential benefits, including hostel admission, ensuring his rightful place in the batch.