Supreme Court rejects request to delay NEET 2021; Exam to be held on September 12

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today dismissed a plea seeking directions for rescheduling of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET 2021) to a later date. Petitioners had requested the apex court to postpone the NEET-UG exam to a date after the declaration of the CBSE compartment, private, patrachar exams results. The NEET UG 2021 exam will now be conducted as per the schedule on September 12 (Sunday).

Justice AM Khanwilkar, Justice Hrishikesh Roy, and Justice CT Ravikumar today heard the plea to postpone NEET 2021.

The bench said, “When you hold exams for 16 lakhs students all factors are taken into account, we can’t defer it,” according to Live Law. The entire system can’t be changed for 1% of students, it added.

Bench: when you hold exams for 16 lakhs students all factors are taken into account, we can’t defer it

SG: students have been allotted centres also so they can make travel arrangements

Bench: those centres may not be available after 7 days #NEETUG2021 #SupremeCourt

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) September 6, 2021

The bench has asked petitioners to make representation to the National Testing Agency (NTA) and said that the authority may take appropriate decisions according to the law.

On September 3, the NTA had clarified to the bench that the students who are appearing for the CBSE compartment exams will be allowed to appear for the medical entrance examination, irrespective of the fact that CBSE results would not be declared by then.

Saying that it’s unfair to reschedule the exam, the court said, “Our indulgence means we are causing pain to so many students. If the authority wants to do it on their own, that's their decision. When the exam has 16 lakh registration all the aspects should be taken into consideration.”

Advocate Shoeb Alam said that there are 25,000 students who will be taking the improvement test and was requesting deferment and not cancellation.

According to the report, the court said, the petitioners are free to make representations to the NTA who may consider on its own merits at the earliest. "Beyond this, we have not made any expressions or opinions. The authority may take appropriate decisions."

The plea filed by Advocate Sumanth Nookala sought to quash public notice scheduling NEET UG 2021 on September 12 as being “manifestly arbitrary and in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.”

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