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On July 29, the Supreme Court of India refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by law graduate Ujjawal Gaur, challenging the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) decision to cancel the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) examinations. The case, titled Ujjawal Gaur Versus Ministry of Education and Ors. W.P.(C) No. 467/2024, was filed in response to allegations of a paper leak that led to the cancellation of the exams.
The PIL argued that the abrupt cancellation of the UGC-NET exams was unjust and disruptive for thousands of students who had prepared rigorously for the test. Gaur contended that the decision lacked proper procedure and transparency and sought either the reinstatement of the exams or a fair re-conduct process. The petition aimed to address concerns over the impact of the cancellation on the academic and career prospects of aspirants.
The Supreme Court, however, chose not to entertain the PIL, stating that the decision to cancel the exams fell within the administrative jurisdiction of the NTA. The court emphasized that it would not interfere in administrative decisions unless there was clear evidence of procedural or legal violations. This decision reflects the court’s approach to limit intervention in administrative matters unless significant injustice is evident. The court posed , ‘Let the students come here, we will deal with it.’
The NTA had canceled the UGC-NET exams following reports of a paper leak, committing to a thorough investigation and plans to reschedule the exams to uphold the examination’s integrity. The cancellation has left many students in limbo, awaiting further updates on the investigation and rescheduling of the exams.