Bengaluru chess player awarded Rs 10 lakh compensation by Karnataka High Court for denial of MBBS seat in sports quota

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation to Sanjana Raghunath, an international chess player from Bengaluru, after she was denied admission to an MBBS course under the sports quota. 

A division bench comprising Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind issued the order in response to Sanjana's petition.

Sanjana, in her petition, stated that she had participated in various prestigious tournaments, including the 32nd National U-13 Open and Girls Chess Championship 2018, the 7th National School Chess Championship 2018, the Asian Youth Chess Championship 2018, and the Commonwealth Chess Championship 2018. She represented India in the Asian Youth Chess Championship and won a medal.

After appearing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET UG) in 2022-23, Sanjana sought admission to a medical college under the sports quota. While she claimed eligibility for the P-I or P-III category, the authorities placed her in the P-V category, positioning her at serial number 9 on the provisional eligibility list.

Sanjana challenged this decision in the high court. During the proceedings, she was admitted to the MBBS course under the management quota at the Sapthagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, Bengaluru.

Her counsel, MP Srikanth, argued that chess competitions conducted by recognised federations, such as the All India Chess Federation, should qualify participants as representatives of the country. Thus, Sanjana should have been considered under the P-I category.

The court agreed, noting that no evidence was provided to suggest an alternative mechanism for determining representation in international chess competitions. The bench ruled that the state had committed a serious error by placing Sanjana in the P-V category, instead of P-I, deeming the decision illegal.

"Due to the arbitrary action of the respondent-authorities, the ambition of the parents and the student in pursuing sport activity to claim incentive of preference for admission is totally scattered," the bench observed.

However, the court acknowledged that directing the authorities to reconsider Sanjana under the P-I category would disrupt the already concluded admissions. It pointed out that had she been placed in the correct category, her tuition fees at a government college or a government seat in a private college would have been capped at Rs 1.44 lakh per year.

"The petitioner is compelled to pay approximately Rs 11.88 lakh per year. The additional financial burden on the petitioner to spend a higher amount for her MBBS course is a result of the action of the authorities being arbitrary and in breach of the rules and regulations, which affected the rights of the petitioner and her further prospects,” the bench said, while directing the government to pay compensation of Rs 10 lakh within six weeks.