UGC-NET 2024: SC Rejects PIL Challenging Govt’s Decision to Cancel Exam

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the government’s decision to cancel the UGC-NET examination following an alleged question paper leak.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra noted that the dismissal of the PIL does not address the merits of the case, as it was filed by a lawyer rather than by the aggrieved students themselves.

“Why are you (lawyer) coming? Let the students come here themselves,” CJI Chandrachud remarked, adding that “while declining the above PIL, we express nothing on merits.”

The three-judge bench directed advocate Ujjawal Gaur, who filed the PIL, to focus on other legal matters and to leave such issues to those directly affected.

The PIL challenged the Union Education Ministry and the National Testing Agency’s decision to cancel the UGC-NET exam following concerns that its integrity might have been compromised. On June 19, the Ministry ordered the cancellation of the exam and referred the matter to the CBI for investigation.

The petition also sought a direction to stay the proposed re-examination of the UGC-NET exam until the CBI completes its inquiry into the paper leak allegations.

The petitioner argued that the decision to cancel the exam was arbitrary and unjust, especially given recent findings from the CBI. The plea claimed that evidence suggesting the paper leak was doctored, thus invalidating the grounds for cancellation.

Furthermore, the petitioner highlighted that the “unwarranted” cancellation of the exam has caused significant distress, anxiety, and unnecessary expenditure for aspirants who had rigorously prepared for this crucial examination.