The Delhi High Court, on Monday, February 26, directed the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to provide free hostel accommodation and other entitlements to visually impaired student, Sanjeev Kumar Mishra, until the completion of his master's degree.
As per an IANS report, the court had earlier directed the university to allow Mishra to stay in a campus guest house without any charges on temporary basis and had granted it a final opportunity to respond to the petition.
Justice C Hari Shankar, on February 26, issued the order citing rules that purportedly disallowed hostel accommodation for students pursuing a second post-graduate course.
The court said that Mishra, as a differently-abled student, is entitled to all facilities mandated by law and university policies. It mandated JNU to ensure Mishra's accommodation and other necessary provisions within a week of the judgement's pronouncement.
The court also rebuked JNU's defence for relying on Mishra's residential address distance from the campus, considering his 100 per cent visual impairment.
Moreover, the court dismissed JNU's argument, saying that the denial of hostel accommodation based on enrollment in a second master’s degree course was unjustifiable, especially without considering individual students' physical disabilities.
Advocate Rahul Bajaj, representing Mishra, argued against the blanket application of rules, stressing the need to consider students' unique circumstances, particularly regarding physical disabilities.
JNU's counsel defended the decision citing the university's Hostel Manual, which allegedly excluded students with prior qualifications from outside Delhi, contradicting Mishra's eligibility for hostel accommodation.
However, the court dismissed this argument, affirming Mishra's entitlement to accommodation, regardless of previous qualifications, citing equal treatment for all students, added IANS.
Earlier, on January 4, JNU's counsel had offered temporary accommodation for Mishra, and the court had said that this interim arrangement was solely to prevent the petitioner from enduring ongoing hardship.
