Delhi HC refuses to hear plea to conduct NEET-UG twice a year

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to hear a plea for conducting NEET (UG) examination twice a year akin to Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for engineering courses. A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said the decision to conduct examinations, twice a year or not, was in the administrative domain in which courts couldn't intervene.

"It is for the authorities to consider the prayer. That's a policy decision by the government," it said. The high court disposed of the petition while granting liberty to the petitioner, a teacher in a coaching centre, to approach the authorities concerned with a representation. The court said if any application or representation was given to the authorities, they should consider it and take an appropriate decision under the law.

The petitioner said the JEE (Mains) examination was conducted in multiple shifts and several chances were given to students to reduce psychological pressure and motivate them to improve their grades. However, those appearing in National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) (UG) were given just a single chance. They should also get more than once chance, added the plea. The bench observed there were several other competitive examinations in which candidates did not have multiple chances.