Missed exam due to late train: Railways directed to pay Rs 9.10 lakh compensation to aspirant

After a prolonged legal battle spanning seven years, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Basti in Uttar Pradesh has directed the Railways to pay Rs 9.10 lakh in compensation to a student who missed her entrance examination due to a delayed train service in May 2018. 

The order brings relief to the complainant, Samriddhi, who had approached the consumer forum after losing an academic year because of the delay.

According to a The Times of India report, the commission held the Railways responsible for deficiency in service, observing that the student’s allegations were found to be valid. As per reports, the verdict was delivered by Commission President and Judge Amarjeet Verma and member Ajay Prakash Singh.

Train Delay Led to Missed Exam

Samriddhi, then 17 years old and a resident of the Pikaura Baks locality under Kotwali police station limits in Basti district, was scheduled to appear for an entrance examination in Lucknow on May 7, 2018. She had been allotted an examination centre at Jaynarayan PG College, Lucknow, and had purchased a ticket for the Intercity Superfast Train from Basti.

The train was scheduled to reach Lucknow at 11 am. However, it arrived nearly two and a half hours late, while candidates were required to enter the examination hall by 12:30 pm. As a result, Samriddhi was unable to appear for the exam.

Commission Verdict and Compensation

Aggrieved by the loss of her academic year, Samriddhi filed a complaint in the District Consumer Commission on September 11, 2018, through her counsel Advocate Prabhakar Mishra. Notices were issued to the Ministry of Railways, the General Manager of Railways and the Station Superintendent, but no response was received.

During the hearing, the Railways admitted that the train was delayed but failed to provide any justification. The commission subsequently ordered the Railways to pay Rs 9,10,000 as compensation within 45 days. It also ruled that any delay in payment would attract an additional interest of 12 per cent on the compensation amount.