HC fines AIIMS for not allowing student to sit for entrance test

NEW DELHI : The Delhi High court on Thursday directed the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to pay a compensation of ₹50,000 to a student who was not allowed to sit for the AIIMS MBBS entrance exam because the QR (Quick response) code on his Aadhaar card could not be verified at the examination centre.

Abimanyu Bishnoi, the student, who was prevented from taking the exam approached the Delhi High court, seeking a stay on the declaration of the results, saying he was unfairly denied an opportunity to take the exam.

Bishnoi in his petition claimed that on May 26, 2018, he produced his original Aadhaar card for verification at the exam centre.

The official verifying the documents at the entry of the examination centre was unable to scan the QR (Quick response) code of the Aadhaar card, on his phone, in order to establish its authenticity.

Justice Partibha Singh in her verdict said, “To turn back a student from an entrance examination centre would result in a fait accompli, as has happened in the present case, which has to be avoided in all circumstances. In view of the non-responsive attitude of AIIMS, both to the candidate’s representation and before this Court, the Petitioner deserves to be compensated with costs for the treatment that has been meted out to him. In view of the harassment and frustration caused to the Petitioner, AIIMS is directed to pay costs of ₹50,000.”

Criticising the conduct of AIIMS in the incident, the court ruled, “the controller of examination of AIIMS has adopted a callous attitude towards the Petitioner, in as much as they ought to have permitted the Petitioner to give the examination, subject to producing an alternative verification document or subject to verification of the Aadhaar card later. The Petitioner has been unnecessarily deprived of appearing in the AIIMS MBBS Entrance Examination, 2018 for no fault of his.”