In a landmark decision, a district consumer court in India’s Uttar Pradesh state has held Indian Railways responsible for a student missing her crucial medical entrance exam due to an unusually delayed train.
The court ordered Indian Railways to pay a fine of Rs 910,000 (over PKR 2.7 million) to the affected student after she failed to reach her examination center on time.
According to media reports, the student had purchased a ticket for an Intercity Superfast train from Basti to Lucknow. As per schedule, the train was supposed to arrive at 11:00 am, while her reporting time at the exam center was 12:30 pm.
However, the train reached its destination more than two and a half hours late, making it impossible for her to arrive at the center in time. As a result, she missed her NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) examination.
Incident Details
The incident took place on May 7, 2018. The student, a resident of the Pakora Bakhsh area in Basti district, was traveling to Lucknow to appear in the NEET exam at J. Narayan PG College.
Due to the unexpected delay, her years of preparation went to waste, and she lost an entire academic year. Reports stated that she suffered severe mental stress and emotional distress after missing the exam.
Legal Action Against Railways
After the incident, the student contacted railway authorities and sent notices to the Ministry of Railways, the General Manager, and the Station Superintendent. However, she received no response.
Following this, she filed a complaint with the District Consumer Commission on September 11, 2018.
The case remained under trial for nearly seven years. During the proceedings, Indian Railways admitted the delay but failed to provide a reasonable explanation.
Court’s Verdict
After hearing both sides, the Consumer Commission declared Indian Railways guilty of negligence and deficiency in service.
The bench, headed by Justice Amrjeet Verma and member Ajay Prakash Singh, ordered the railway department to pay Rs 910,000 to the student within 45 days.
The court further ruled that if the payment is delayed, Indian Railways will have to pay 12% annual interest on the amount.
A Landmark Decision for Consumer Rights
Legal experts have described the ruling as an important precedent for consumer protection. The decision highlights that public service institutions can be held accountable for negligence that causes serious harm to citizens.
Following the verdict, concerns have reportedly been raised within railway authorities regarding service standards and passenger rights.
