Allahabad High Court lauds "heartening" gesture of Mumbai doctor to sponsor Dalit girl's IIT studies

After the Allahabad High Court's recent intervention that led to a Dalit girl securing admission at Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), a Mumbai-based doctor on Monday came forward to sponsor the girl's entire studies (Sanskriti Ranjan v. Joint Seat Allocation Authority and Others)..It was brought to the notice of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh that an intervention application was moved by one Dr Sonal Chauhan, working at Wadia Children Hospital, Mumbai, seeking to sponsor the entire studies of Dalit student Sanskriti Ranjan at IIT-BHU for a Mathematics and Computing dual-degree five-year course. .The petitioner secured 92.77 per cent marks in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains Examination and secured rank 2,062 in the Scheduled Caste (SC) list. She had written the JEE-Advanced and cleared it with rank 1,469 rank in the SC category.The petitioner was allotted a seat at IIT-BHU, but moved the Allahabad High Court after failing to submit ₹15,000 as the seat acceptance fee due to a financial crisis in her family..In a humane gesture, while addressing the plea of the petitioner, Justice Singh on November 29 volunteered to contribute the fees for allocation of the seat of the girl at IIT-BHU..The Court had directed the concerned authorities of IIT-BHU to admit the petitioner in the said course offered at the time of counselling. Additionally, it was directed that if there is no seat vacant in the said discipline, IIT-BHU could create a supernumerary post which shall be subject to the admission of the petitioner being regularised in the event of any seat falling vacant in the future.The petitioner was directed to report at IIT-BHU within three days with relevant papers and fees for getting herself admitted for the course..On Monday, the Court was informed that the petitioner has been admitted to IIT-BHU in the said course."It is heartening to note that after coming to know the order dated 29.11.2021 passed by this Court in this writ petition, the applicant-intervenor (Dr.Sonal Chauhan) on her own wants to sponsor petitioner's entire study at I.I.T. B.H.U. for Mathematics and Computing (5 years, Bachelor and Master of Technology (Dual Degree) Course," the Court noted in the order..The Court noted that this was not a solitary case where a brilliant student coming from the lower strata of society faced such difficulty in depositing fees after cracking the admission test for a prestigious institution like IIT. Others might not have been so fortunate as to come to Court, the judge noted. It thus observed:"Court would like to know from Union of India as well from the State Government that whether there is some scheme/fund for sponsoring the study of such students who secures admission in the best of the Institution through entrance exams such as J.E.E./N.E.E.T./C.L.A.T. etc., but they are unable to pay their fee because of their poor economic conditions.".The Court directed the counsel to place on record the instructions from the State government and Central government on the next date of hearing, on December 20."This is quite heartening that capable section of the society is willing to sponsor the study of a meritorious girl student from lower strata of the society. The Court places appreciation on record to all such persons, who have volunteered to sponsor entire study of the petitioner. This Court places on record its special appreciation for Dr. Sonal Chauhan for her noble gesture," Justice Singh concluded.Advocates Samta Rao and Sarvesh Kumar Dubey appeared for the petitioner. Advocate Amit Jaiswal appeared for Dr Chauhan, while Assistant Solicitor General SB Pandey, assisted by Anand Dwivedi, appeared for the Central government. Advocate JP Maurya appeared for the State of Uttar Pradesh, while Advocate Mukund Madhav Asthana represented the Joint Seat Allocation Authority..In related news, the Supreme Court recently came to the rescue of a 17-year-old Dalit boy who had qualified for admission to IIT Bombay, but missed out on a seat because of a failure to remit the seat acceptance fees on time, due to technical glitches..Supreme Court comes to the aid of Dalit student who cracked IIT JEE but missed out on seat due to non-payment of fees.[READ ORDER]