The Supreme Court on Monday ordered IIT Dhanbad to admit a Dalit student who lost his seat after missing the fee payment deadline.
During the hearing, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud remarked, “We cannot allow such a young talented boy to go away. He went to Jharkhand legal services authority, then to Chennai legal services, and then he is sent to high court. A Dalit boy is being made to run from pillar to post.”
Atul Kumar, 18, cleared the JEE exam in his final attempt and was allocated a seat in Electronics Engineering at IIT Dhanbad. However, he was unable to submit the ₹17,500 fee by the June 24 deadline. Kumar, from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, is the son of a daily wager who earns ₹450 a day. His family struggled to gather the required fee, collecting money from villagers.
Kumar approached the Jharkhand High Court and Madras High Court before seeking relief from the Supreme Court.
IIT Dhanbad’s lawyer explained that the National Informatics Centre (NIC) had sent Kumar an SMS, and the institute had sent two WhatsApp messages reminding him to complete the payment. The lawyer stated, “He made login every day.”
In response, Justice Pardiwala asked, “Why are you opposing so much? Why are you not finding the way out?” He emphasized that Kumar had the intent to pay, but the only obstacle was the fee.
Chief Justice Chandrachud further added, “He is such a bright student. The only thing that stopped him was Rs 17,000… No child should be left like this just because he doesn’t have fees of Rs 17,000.”
The court noted that Kumar’s parents had arranged the fee by 4:45 pm on the June 24 deadline, but the payment didn’t process, and the portal closed at 5 pm. The court recognized that Kumar logged in daily and was diligent in trying to make the payment.
“We are of the view that a talented student should not be left in the lurch. We direct that admission be granted to IIT Dhanbad,” the court ruled.
The Chief Justice ordered that Atul Kumar be admitted in the same batch, with a supernumerary seat created for him, without affecting other candidates’ admissions.