Supreme Court turned down a plea challenging the scrapping of the UGC-NET 2024 examination, which had been canceled due to allegations of paper leaks.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud took note that it is almost two months since the exam was cancelled, and a fresh exam is a few weeks away. The bench has found that allowing the petition at this stage would indeed be unnecessary, leading to confusion, causing disorder.
Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra observed on the bench, "On an identical prayer, a PIL is already rejected by this court.".
A fresh petition, filed by some UGC-NET candidates, had moved to the apex court with an urgent prayer to stay the decision for retaking the examination. Appearing through Advocate Rohit Kumar, the petition contended that the cancellation was arbitrary and wholly unjust, more so in view of some fresh revelations from a CBI probe into these very anomalies.
It was found by the Central Bureau of Investigation that evidence related to a paper leak was manipulated, thereby undermining the rationale for such cancellation.
According to the petitioners, the last-minute cancellation based on allegedly fabricated evidence has caused immense distress and avoidable expenditure to the candidates. Apart from affecting their academic and career plans, it has made them lose faith in the examination process.
The petition had prayed for an immediate stay by the Supreme Court of the rescheduled examination planned for August-September 2024 until the CBI investigation is complete and for a speedy inquiry under the supervision of the court.
The Union Ministry of Education had cancelled the UGC-NET 2024 conducted in various cities on June 18 after concerns that the process might have been compromised.
“To ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity in the examination process, the Ministry of Education has decided that the UGC-NET 2024 be cancelled. A fresh examination shall be conducted, for which information shall be shared separately. Simultaneously, the matter is being handed over to the CBI for a thorough investigation,” read the statement released by the ministry.
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