JEE Main 2023: Bombay High Court dismisses plea against 75% marks in Class 12 criteria

NEW DELHI : The Bombay High Court dismissed the petition seeking relaxation of the eligibility criterion of 75 per cent score in Class 12 in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2023 for seeking admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IITs).

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep Marne observed it cannot intervene at this stage and it was for the government authorities to consider and take a decision. “At this stage we can't intervene with the ongoing process. It is for the government to consider students' grievances," the high court said.

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While hearing the plea on May 2, the high court had said that granting relaxation on JEE Main 75% eligibility criteria will affect students who have scored more than 75% marks in Class 12. “We understand the difficulty but our limitations also have to be considered regarding an exam which is pan India. Granting you relaxation will affect other students who have scored above 75%. The students (in 2022) have appeared in exams and scored these marks. This is not on the basis of previous years," it said.

The petitioners argued that even after qualifying for JEE Advanced 2023, they will not be able to seek admission because of the 75% eligibility criteria since they scored less.

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According to the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced brochure released this year, candidates should have secured at least 75 per cent in Class 12 board exams. The public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Anubha Sahai said until last year, the eligibility criteria of 75 per cent was not applicable. With this sudden change in eligibility, lakhs of students may be affected, it was submitted.

Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh had argued for the National Testing Agency (NTA) that the policy of 75 per cent criteria was applicable since 2017. Singh said the policy was temporarily relaxed for the years 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23. "It is not that we are implementing or re-implementing. This condition was kept in abeyance, and it has been revived," Singh said.

(with inputs from PTI)