Seats at educational institutions not for sale: Delhi HC

The court rejected a plea seeking recovery of ₹30 lakh paid by a medical student’s father to a middleman for securing a seat AIIMS

Rejecting a plea seeking recovery of ₹30 lakh paid by a medical student’s father to a middleman for securing a seat at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), the Delhi high court on Wednesday strongly criticised such practices, saying that seats at educational institutions are “not for sale”.

The court asked what will happen to the nation if people can get admission into AIIMS by paying money. (HT Archive)

Remarking that the facts presented an abysmal picture, the court opined that it could not come to aid of a person who participated in an act which was barred by law.

“Children who get admission over there study about 18-20 hours a day. There are 50 seats out of which 15/20 are occupied by students in general category. What will happen to the nation if people can get admission into AIIMS by paying money? It is because of people like you that scamsters flourish. You jumped the queue and thought your child is more important than others. If by 40 lakhs you’re able to get that seat, what is going to happen to our nation? Because of people like you, other people flourish,” justice Jasmeet Singh said to a counsel who appeared for the middleman.

The girl’s father had approached the high court against the city court’s order rejecting his suit seeking recovery of ₹30 lakh from a man who had promised him for securing a seat in AIIMS. The judge had dismissed the suit stating that the agreement between the parties to secure admission was prima facie illegal.

The father in the plea had stated that he was duped by the middleman, who had claimed to know the Union health minister and other senior bureaucrats.