JEE Advanced row: Supreme Court permits students to take exam who quit courses between 5-18 November

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed students – who dropped out of their courses between 5-18 November 2024 – to register for the JEE (Advanced), reported Indian Express.

Passing the order, the bench of Justices B R Gavai and A G Masih noted a press release by the Joint Admission Board (respondent number 2) on 5 November 2024 which said the students who cleared their Class 12 board exams in 2023, 2024, and 2025 would be eligible to take the JEE(Advanced). However, it was withdrawn 13 days later.

According to the fresh Joint Admission Board release, dated 18 November, only those who clear their Class 12 exam in 2024 or 2025 will be eligible for the JEE(Advanced).

The apex bench stated that few students dropped out of their course between 5-18 November 2024 as they believed they would be eligible to sit for the exam and cannot now be prejudiced by denying that.

“It is clear that in the press release dated November 5, 2024, a clear promise was made to the students that those who had appeared for the 12th standard examination in the academic year 2023, 2024, and 2025 would be eligible to appear for the JEE (Advanced) entrance examination. If the students acting on the said representation have dropped from their course with an understanding that they would be entitled to appear for the JEE (Advanced), the withdrawal of the promise on November 19, 2024, cannot be permitted to act to their detriment,” The Indian Express quoted the Supreme Court bench as saying.

“In the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, without observing anything about the decision on the merits of the decision taken by respondent number 2, we clarify that such of the students who have withdrawn from their courses and dropped out between November 5, 2024, to November 18, 2024, would be permitted to register for the JEE (Advanced) test,” the bench ordered.

What JAB prosecutor said?

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the JAB in his submissions to the Supreme Court bench said that till this year, students had only two chances to appear for JEE(Advanced).

He added that though an exception was sought to be made this year, it rescinded “in the larger interest of the student”, as JAB realised those who were getting three chances were spending most of their time preparing for the courses and not concentrating on the courses to which they had already secured admission.

To this the bench observed, as quoted by IE, “We are not considering the wisdom of respondent no 2 in restricting the zone of consideration either for 2 or for 3 years. For valid reasons, if respondent no 2 has restricted the zone of consideration only to 2 years, no fault could be found with the decision.”