SC refuses to entertain PIL to cancel UGC-NET exam

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a PIL challenging the government’s decision to cancel the UGC-NET examination following alleged question paper leak.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and ManojMisra, however, said the dismissal of the PIL does not amount to a decision on the merits of the PIL as it was filed by a lawyer and not by aggrieved students.

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

The bench asked advocate Ujjawal Gaur, who has filed the PIL as a petitioner, to focus on some legal matters and leave such issues for aggrieved persons. The plea was filed against the decision of the Union education ministry and the National Testing Agency to cancel the UGC-NET exam following inputs that its integrity may have been compromised.

The Ministry on June 19 had ordered the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam and handed over the matter to the CBI for an investigation. In the plea, Gaur also sought a direction to immediately stay the proposed re-examination of the UGC-NET exam until the CBI completes its inquiry into the paper leak allegations.

“The petitioner asserts that the decision is not only arbitrary but also unjust, given the recent findings of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). “The CBI’s investigation brings the fact that the evidence suggesting the paper leak is doctored, thus nullifying the grounds on which the cancellation was based,” the plea, filed through advocate Rohit Pandey, said.

The petitioner submitted that the “unwarranted” cancellation of the exam has caused significant distress, anxiety, and an unnecessary expenditure of resources for the aspirants who have rigorously prepared for this crucial examination.