SC orders IIT-Dhanbad to admit Dalit student who could not deposit fees in time

The Supreme Court on Monday came to the rescue of a Dalit student, who could not secure admission in IIT-Dhanbad after missing the deadline to deposit fees as it ordered the institute to admit him to a BTech course.

“We are of the view that a talented student like the petitioner who belongs to a marginalised group… who did all to secure admission should not be left out... we direct that candidate is granted admission to IIT Dhanbad,” a Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud said.

Invoking Article 142 of the Constitution -- which empowers the Supreme Court to pass any orders to do complete justice – the Bench ordered that a supernumerary post be created to accommodate him so that the admission of no other student was disturbed.

“We cannot allow such a young talented boy to go away. A talented student like the petitioner cannot be left in lurch…He is a dalit boy being made to run from pillar to post, he is the son of a daily wager. In Article 142, there are some cases where we keep the law a little aside,” said the Bench which also included Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra.

“All the best! Achha kariye (do well),” the CJI told Kumar after passing the order.

As the counsel appearing for the IIT Seat Allocation Authority opposed Kumar’s petition, the Bench asked, “Why are you opposing so much? You should see if something could be done.”

It said, “The only thing that stopped him was the inability to pay and as the Supreme Court of India we need to see that.”

Son of a daily wager, petitioner Atul Kumar (18) hails from a BPL family in Titora village of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. He cleared the JEE Advanced in his second and last attempt. Having secured 1,455th rank in the Scheduled Castes category, he got a seat at IIT-Dhanbad for BTech in Electrical Engineering.

However, his parents failed to deposit Rs 17,500 as the acceptance fee by the June 24 deadline for depositing the requisite fees for blocking the seat. He would have lost the opportunity but for the top court’s intervention.

Kumar’s counsel told the Bench that his father’s daily wage was only Rs 450 and it was very difficult to arrange Rs 17,500 by 5 pm of June 24, that too in just four days after allotment of the seat in IIT-Dhanbad.

His parents had earlier moved the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, Jharkhand Legal Services Authority and the Madras high court to save his seat.