Delhi High Court Orders Grant Of Scholarship For Oxford To Student Hailing From Traditional Artisans Family

The Delhi High Court has directed the Central Government to grant National Overseas Scholarship for studying Masters of Public Policy at the University of Oxford to a student hailing from traditional artisans family in Gujarat.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said that the student, Mohit Jitendra Kukadia, must have faced financial instability from a young age and despite hardships, he excelled academically by earning a law degree and getting an offer to study masters at the University of Oxford.

“Generational struggles, marked by deep-rooted inequalities and persistent poverty, are closely interconnected. The cycle of poverty is perpetuated as each generation struggles with the same socio-economic barriers. Addressing these challenges requires targeted interventions like the National Overseas Scholarship, which offers a pathway out of poverty by providing the next generation with the education and skills needed to break this cycle,” the court said.

It directed the Central Government to process the student's application for the scholarship under the National Overseas Scholarship scheme for the academic year 2024-25 and grant him the same within a period of two weeks.

His application was rejected with a single remark “ITR Acceptance document not furnished”. He later found that he had mistakenly uploaded his Income Tax Return (ITR) computation instead of the ITR acceptance form.

“…this Court is of the opinion that a mere discrepancy in filing the Income Tax computation and other relevant documents, especially issued by a recognized government authority, when both documents substantiate the same income parameters, instead of the Income Tax Acknowledgment Document, should not result in an eligible and meritorious candidate being deprived of the scholarship,” the court said.

It noted that the Centre's counter affidavit did not cast any doubt on the authenticity of the documents submitted by the student or on his eligibility.

Noting further that the University of Oxford had confirmed the student's merit position, Justice Sharma said:

“This Court notes that traditional artisans, whose skills and crafts have been passed down through generations, often find themselves stuck in cycles of poverty if not given opportunities for growth. Without access to education and financial support, they are limited to earning modest incomes through their crafts, with little chance to improve their socio-economic status,” the court said.

It added that schemes like the National Overseas Scholarship are essential as they provide the much-needed support for artisans to pursue higher education and break free from these constraints.

“Thus, this Court is of the opinion that a hyper-technical approach by the respondents should be avoided, especially in cases where the submitted documents do not contain any discrepancies and clearly demonstrate the applicant‟s eligibility,” the court said.

Justice Sharma concluded that the purpose of such schemes, which is to support deserving candidates from marginalized communities, should not be undermined by overly rigid interpretations of procedural requirements.

Title: MOHIT JITENDRA KUKADIA v. UNION OF INDIA

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Del) 954

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