Imprisonment Does Not Restrict Individual's Right To Pursue Education: Bombay High Court

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the plea of a Dalit student who lost his admission to IIT Dhanbad due to a delay in paying the admission fee. The student, whose father is a daily wage worker, managed to arrange the fee of ₹17,500 but missed the deadline by a few minutes. Despite qualifying for admission through JEE Advanced, the student was barred from admission, prompting him to approach the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the Jharkhand Legal Services Authority. The High Court refused to entertain the matter, leading the student to approach the Supreme Court. The bench, led by CJI DY Chandrachud, issued a notice to the Seat Allocation Authority and IIT Madras, emphasizing the hardship faced by the petitioner. The case highlights the challenges faced by economically disadvantaged students in accessing higher education.