In a landmark decision underscoring passenger rights and institutional accountability, a district consumer disputes redressal commission in Basti, Uttar Pradesh, has directed Indian Railways to compensate a student with ₹9.10 lakh for missing her crucial entrance examination due to a delayed train. The judgment came after a prolonged seven-year legal battle that highlighted the impact of service lapses on an individual’s academic future. The Incident: Missed Exam and Lost Opportunity The case dates back to May 7, 2018, when Samriddhi, a resident of Basti district, was travelling to Lucknow to appear for her BSc Biotechnology entrance exam at Jai Narayan PG College. She boarded an intercity superfast train scheduled to reach Lucknow by 11 a.m., ensuring enough time to report at the exam centre by 12:30 p.m. However, the train was delayed by over two hours, causing her to arrive late and consequently missing the opportunity to sit for the exam despite having prepared rigorously for a year. Legal Battle and Court’s Decision Samriddhi, then 17, filed her complaint in the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission after initial notices to railway authorities, including the Railway Ministry and station superintendent, failed to prompt a satisfactory response. She had originally sought ₹20… Read MoreBusiness Archives – Trak.in – Indian Business of Tech, Mobile & Startups
