Need to promote J&K youth by educating them, says SC

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 25

The Supreme Court on Friday came to the rescue of a Kashmiri student pursuing MBBS from a medical college in Bangladesh, as it restored her financial assistance that was stopped after she took admission in another college.

“We need to promote the youth of Jammu and Kashmir by educating them,” said a Bench, led by Justice DY Chandrachud, while dismissing the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s petition challenging a high court order to the Jammu and Kashmir Women’s Development Corporation to release financial loan instalment to Mubashir Ashraf Bhat.

The corporation released the first instalment of Rs 6 lakh of the Rs 30-lakh loan, sanctioned to Bhat in 2018, but refused to release subsequent instalments on the ground that she had moved to Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College, Bangladesh, from Community Based Medical College. She had moved the high court after the corporation demanded back the first instalment of Rs 6 lakh and refused to release more funds.

“The consequence of entertaining the appeal would be denying the loan disbursal, which was sanctioned originally for her study though in a different institution. We are of the view that in the exercise of jurisdiction under Article 136 of the Constitution would not be appropriate, when the consequence of entertaining the petition would substantially dislocate the educational career of a young woman student from J&K,” said the Bench, which also included Justice Surya Kant.

“We, therefore, decline to entertain the petition only on this ground and without expressing any opinion on the question of law, which is sought to be raised. The question of law is kept open to be decided in the appropriate case,” the top court said, dismissing the Special Leave Petition.

“She is a young person pursuing MBBS from a college in Bangladesh. Yes, mistakes are there on her part, but we all have done mistakes in our youth days,” noted Justice Chandrachud.

“Kashmiri youth need to be brought into the mainstream. We need to promote them by educating them. You want to deny the young girl her academic career?” Justice Surya Kant asked J&K administration counsel, who said there were substantial questions of law involved.

Bring them into mainstream

Kashmiri youth need to be brought into the mainstream. We need to promote them by educating them. You want to deny the young girl her academic career? — Justice Surya Kant

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