The IIT mental health transfer Supreme Court case took a significant turn after the Supreme Court directed AIIMS New Delhi to evaluate an IIT Kharagpur architecture student seeking an inter-IIT transfer. The student has requested migration to IIT Roorkee, claiming that the required psychiatric treatment is unavailable at IIT Kharagpur. The Court directed AIIMS to submit its medical findings before the next hearing.
AIIMS to Conduct Medical Evaluation
The Supreme Court ordered AIIMS New Delhi to constitute a specialized medical board to assess the student’s mental health condition.
A Bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice R. Mahadevan observed that requiring the student to travel to IIT Kharagpur for assessment would cause unnecessary hardship. Therefore, the Court directed that the evaluation be conducted at AIIMS Delhi. The medical board will submit its report directly to the Supreme Court.
IIT Roorkee Asked to Reserve a Seat
To safeguard the student’s academic interests, the Bench directed IIT Roorkee to reserve one seat in its Bachelor of Architecture programme.
The interim order was issued because the admission deadline was approaching on July 17, 2026. The reserved seat will remain vacant until the Court decides the writ petition.
Student Seeks Transfer for Medical Treatment
The petitioner is a Bachelor of Architecture student at IIT Kharagpur. He belongs to the Scheduled Caste category and is undergoing treatment for severe depression.
According to the petition, his treatment requires Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) therapy. However, this therapy is not available in Kharagpur.
Senior Advocate Shobha Gupta informed the Court that the student previously travelled to Chandigarh to receive the treatment. She submitted that similar medical facilities are available near IIT Roorkee.
IIT Raises Academic Concerns
The student initially sought a transfer to IIT Delhi. However, the request was rejected because of differences in the architecture curriculum.
Counsel for IIT acknowledged the student’s medical condition. However, the institute argued that its own medical board should first evaluate him. It also pointed to differences in the curriculum between IIT Kharagpur and IIT Roorkee. The institute further stated that IIT Roorkee has a higher admission cut-off.
Supreme Court Questions IIT’s Objections
The Bench questioned the relevance of the admission cut-off. Justice Nagarathna observed that the student’s admission to IIT Kharagpur already reflected his academic merit.
The Court also noted a factual dispute over the student’s academic progress. IIT claimed that he had completed three years of study. The petitioner’s counsel disagreed and clarified that he had completed only the first year. According to the petitioner, he seeks admission into the second year at IIT Roorkee.
Next Hearing
The IIT mental health transfer Supreme Court matter will next be heard on July 29, 2026. The Court will consider the report submitted by the AIIMS medical board before deciding the student’s request for an inter-IIT transfer.
