Karnataka High Court Orders State Government to Pay ₹10 Lakh Compensation to International Chess Player for Unjust Denial of MBBS Seat
The Karnataka High Court has made a significant ruling in favor of international chess player Sanjana Raghunath, ordering the State government to pay her ₹10 lakh in compensation for being unjustly denied an MBBS seat in a government medical college under the sports quota. Despite meeting all eligibility criteria and excelling in various chess competitions, including the Asian Youth Championship and the Commonwealth Chess Championship in 2018, Sanjana was denied admission due to a circular issued by the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) in June 2023.
The circular stipulated that applicants must have participated and won in specific sporting events between June 1, 2018, and May 31, 2023, to qualify for admission under the sports quota. This meant that achievements outside this timeframe, such as Sanjana’s performance in the Asian Youth Championship in April 2018, were deemed irrelevant for the 2024 academic year admissions.
Despite performing well in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and obtaining a good rank, Sanjana’s application for admission to government medical colleges under the sports quota was rejected by the KEA. This forced her to enroll in a private institution, incurring fees exceeding ₹11 lakh.
A Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind, deemed the State’s actions as arbitrary and ordered them to compensate Sanjana for the distress caused. The Court highlighted the illegal categorization of Sanjana under the private seat category and emphasized that her participation in the Asian Youth Chess Championship 2018 should have made her eligible for the sports quota.
While acknowledging that the sports quota seats for the current academic year had already been filled, the Court decided that providing monetary compensation of ₹10 lakh to Sanjana was the appropriate remedy for the injustice she faced. This ruling serves as a significant victory for Sanjana and highlights the importance of fair and transparent admission processes in educational institutions.