In an unprecedented manner, the Supreme Court has invoked its extraordinary powers to admit Atul Kumar, a youth from poor economic background, to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Dhanbad. The issue in question was whether a candidate who failed to deposit the requisite fee by deadline be shown leniency and allowed admission into the coveted education institution.
The three-judge Supreme Court led by Chief Justice of India, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, felt that the talent of a boy cannot be allowed to be wasted and ordered the IIT Dhanbad to create a supernumerary seat for the petitioner. The judgment ends the ordeal of the son of a daily wage worker who had to crowdsource his IIT fee of Rs 17,500 from his entire village only to miss the deadline by a whisker.
Apart from his talent that made him crack the JEE, and his marginalised background, the factor that went in favour of the petitioner was his sheer determination to fight the entrenched bureaucratic system that knows nothing else but rules. This fight also displays his love for knowledge, which is the crucial ingredient for the success of any nation.
Notwithstanding the instant case, there are multitudes of instances across the length and breadth of the country where the dreams of similarly talented students get trampled by the bureaucratic rules or for the want of money.
It is, therefore, high time that the government devotes its attention to the issue and offers pre-sanctioned loans to all students who secure admission to institutions of academic excellence. If a candidate has financial wherewithal, he would not avail it. However, those students like Atul Kumar would not have to compromise their self-respect by seeking crowdfunding. The default loan scheme would do true justice to the extraordinarily talented students, who could form the bedrock of the country’s future.
The country must express its gratitude to Atul Kumar for highlighting this issue and wish him all the best in his pursuit of academic excellence.
