Supreme Court Allows Admission for Student Who Missed Fee Payment Deadline

Atul Kumar, a student admitted to IIT Dhanbad after receiving Supreme Court intervention, speaks to the media in New Delhi on September 30, 2024.

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has intervened to assist Atul Kumar, a student from a marginalized background, who missed his chance for admission to the Indian Institute of Technology (Dhanbad) by failing to pay a fee of ₹17,500 before the deadline.

“He is a brilliant student. No child seeking education should go back disappointed from the Supreme Court,” stated Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, who presided over the three-judge Bench.

The court invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure Atul Kumar’s admission to the BTech program, as he was present in the courtroom during the proceedings.

Kumar achieved a commendable rank of 1,455 in the JEE (Advanced) 2024 exam for his category, securing a seat in the four-year Bachelor of Technology course in Electrical Engineering at IIT Dhanbad. Notably, this marked his second and final attempt at gaining admission.

The court acknowledged Kumar’s remarkable perseverance in the face of adversity in his pursuit of education at an esteemed institution. Coming from a family with an income below the poverty line, Kumar attended higher secondary school in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. He logged into the admission portal on June 24, after his family managed to scrape together the required fee. Unfortunately, the portal closed before he could finalize his submission. After facing challenges communicating with the authorities at IIT Madras, he sought legal aid from the Madras High Court, which directed him to appeal to the Supreme Court for relief.

“He is a talented student from a marginalized community who has exhausted all options to secure admission. Our power to deliver substantive justice under Article 142 exists for situations like this,” emphasized the Chief Justice. He concluded the hearing with well wishes for Kumar, wishing him “All the best.”