The Supreme Court of India has pledged to assist 18-year-old Dalit youth Atul Kumar, who lost his IIT Dhanbad seat due to an inability to pay the acceptance fee. The court, during a hearing on September 24, 2024, assured that it would make efforts to support Kumar, who hails from a financially disadvantaged background.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has assured assistance to an 18-year-old Dalit youth, Atul Kumar, who lost his seat at IIT Dhanbad due to an inability to deposit the required fee. The youth, hailing from a financially disadvantaged background, had cleared the prestigious Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced in his last attempt, securing a seat at IIT Dhanbad. However, his inability to pay the acceptance fee of Rs 17,500 by the deadline resulted in the loss of his hard-earned spot.
During a hearing on Tuesday(24th Sept), a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra assured that the court would do its best to assist Kumar.
“We will help you as far as possible,”
-stated the Chief Justice, offering a glimmer of hope to the young aspirant.
However, the bench also expressed concern over the delay, asking-
“But what were you doing for the past three months while the fee deposit deadline was approaching on June 24?”
Atul Kumar, the son of a daily wage laborer, comes from Titora village in Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh. His family belongs to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, making it extremely difficult to arrange even a modest sum like Rs 17,500 in a short period. Kumar’s parents were unable to deposit the acceptance fee by the crucial deadline of June 24, which was required to secure his seat in IIT Dhanbad after he cleared the JEE Advanced exam.
Representing Kumar in court, his counsel explained the family’s financial distress and emphasized the challenges faced by students like Kumar in arranging the funds required for higher education.
The lawyer stated that-
“It was extremely challenging for the students to arrange Rs 17,500 by 5 PM on June 24, especially considering they had only four days after the seat allotment at IIT Dhanbad.”
The counsel further added that Kumar’s situation was dire as this was his second and final attempt at clearing the JEE Advanced. Without the court’s intervention, he would lose the opportunity to study at an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) forever.
After missing the deadline, Kumar and his family made numerous attempts to salvage the situation. They sought help from various authorities, including the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, the Jharkhand Legal Services Authority, and the Madras High Court. However, these efforts proved unsuccessful. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes, tasked with protecting the rights of the Scheduled Caste community, expressed its inability to intervene in this particular matter.
“The National Commission for Scheduled Castes also expressed its inability to help him,”
-the court was informed.
Given that Atul Kumar had taken the JEE Advanced exam at a center in Jharkhand, the family also approached the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority. However, the authority suggested that the youth take the matter to the Madras High Court, as IIT Madras had conducted the examination. The Madras High Court, while sympathetic to Kumar’s situation, directed him to approach the Supreme Court of India for relief.
“The high court asked him to approach the top court,”
-the lawyer stated during the proceedings.
After hearing the brief arguments presented by Kumar’s counsel, the Supreme Court bench decided to issue notices to the concerned authorities, including the Joint Seat Allocation Authority, IIT Admissions, and IIT Madras, which was responsible for conducting the JEE Advanced examination this year. This step opens the door for possible reconsideration of Kumar’s case, giving him a chance to reclaim his seat at IIT Dhanbad.
Atul Kumar’s case is emblematic of the larger issue of financial barriers faced by students in India, particularly those from marginalized communities. While clearing competitive exams like JEE Advanced is an extraordinary achievement, financial hurdles often prevent students from accessing the opportunities they have worked so hard to secure. The requirement to deposit fees within a short time frame, as in Kumar’s case, poses an additional burden on economically weaker students.
Kumar’s story also sheds light on the difficulties faced by families living in rural areas. With limited access to resources and support, students like Kumar must rely on timely assistance from various institutions to fulfill their educational dreams. The case underscores the need for systemic changes, such as more flexible deadlines or financial aid, to prevent deserving students from losing their opportunities due to monetary constraints.
