SC Ensures Support for Dalit Student Who Lost IIT Dhanbad Seat Over Fee Delay

A Dalit student lost his seat at IIT Dhanbad after being unable to pay the acceptance fee by the June 24 deadline. However, the Supreme Court has stepped in, offering assistance to the student. Know details here

SC Ensures Support for Dalit Student Who Lost IIT Dhanbad Seat Over Fee Delay

The Supreme Court has assured to support a poor Dalit student who lost his seat at IIT Dhanbad after missing the deadline to pay the INR 17,500 acceptance fee, despite clearing the exam in his final attempt. Although Kumar successfully earned the seat, his parents were unable to meet the June 24, 2024 payment deadline, leading to its forfeiture.

In their effort to reclaim the seat, the family turned to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, the Jharkhand Legal Services Authority, and the Madras High Court for assistance.

"We will help you as far as possible. But what were you doing for the last three months as the fee deposit deadline expired on June 24," a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra told the counsel for 18-year-old Atul Kumar on Tuesday.

Lawyer Highlights Family's Financial Struggles

The lawyer referred to the financial condition of the family of the youth. It was a very tough task for the students 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, the lawyer said. Kumar, the son of a daily wage worker, comes from a below-poverty-line (BPL) family in Titora village, located in the Muzaffarnagar of Uttar Pradesh.

Lawyer Stresses Kumar's Last Opportunity for IIT Admission

Kumar's counsel informed the bench that he had cleared the JEE Advanced in his second and final attempt, and without the intervention of the Supreme Court, he would not have had another opportunity to take the JEE exam. After hearing brief arguments, the bench issued notices to the Joint Seat Allocation Authority, IIT Admissions, and IIT Madras, which conducted this year's exam.

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes expressed its inability to help him. Since Kumar took the JEE exam at a centre in Jharkhand, he also reached out to the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority, which recommended that he approach the Madras High Court, as IIT Madras conducted the exam. The high court, in turn, directed him to seek relief from the Supreme Court.

Read More

• IIT Gandhinagar Invites Researchers for PhD Continuing Programme 2024-25 Semester II
• IIT Madras Launches Online Courses for School Students in Data Science & AI and Electronic Systems