Delhi High Court Quashes Rejection of National Overseas Scholarship Applications

Court Criticizes Technical Grounds for Rejection; Directs Reconsideration of Scholarship Applications

In a landmark judgment, the Delhi High Court has quashed the rejection of applications for the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme 2025-26, citing procedural deficiencies related to income certificates as hyper-technical and contrary to the scheme's objectives. The petitions, filed by Manish Kumar and another applicant, challenged the rejection of their scholarship applications on grounds that their income certificates did not explicitly mention the relevant financial year.

Justice Sachin Datta, while delivering the judgment, highlighted the importance of substantive compliance over procedural technicalities. The court emphasized that the rejection of applications based on such technical grounds undermines the constitutional mandate under Article 46, which obliges the State to promote the educational and economic interests of weaker sections of society.

The case revolved around the petitioners, who had secured offers from prestigious foreign universities but faced rejection due to the alleged non-compliance of their income certificates with the scheme guidelines. Despite fulfilling all other eligibility criteria, including age, caste, academic merit, and income, their applications were turned down, jeopardizing their academic opportunities.

The court noted that the income certificates issued by the Government of NCT of Delhi did not specify the financial year, a format over which the petitioners had no control. Justice Datta pointed out the arbitrariness in rejecting applications based on the date of the certificate when the income criteria were substantively met.

The judgment directed the respondents, including the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Government of NCT of Delhi, to immediately process the grant of scholarships to the petitioners. The court also called for an update in the formats of income certificates to reflect the financial year explicitly, thereby avoiding future ambiguities.

This decision underscores the judiciary's role in safeguarding fairness and transparency in administrative processes, especially those impacting the educational prospects of underprivileged sections. The court's intervention ensures that merit and substantive eligibility are prioritized over procedural formalities, thereby upholding the principles of justice and equality.

Bottom Line:

Rejection of applications under the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme based on technical grounds related to income certificates is untenable. Procedural deficiencies in income certificates should not undermine the substantive eligibility of candidates. 

Statutory provision(s): Article 46 of the Constitution of India, National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme Guidelines, Clause 8(c), Clause 8(e).

Manish Kumar v. Union of India, (Delhi) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2784047