New Delhi:
The Supreme Court on Friday allowed petitioners who had abandoned their courses between November 5 and November 18, 2024, to register for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)-Advanced. A bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih passed this order while hearing petitions against reducing the number of attempts given to JEE-Advanced candidates from three to two.

The Supreme Court noted that the Joint Admission Board (JAB), assigned to conduct the JEE-Advanced exam, had issued a press release on November 5 last year stating that Class 12 exams in the academic years 2023, 2024 and 2025 Students who appear for the exam will be eligible to appear for JEE-Advanced.

The bench further noted that another press release was issued on November 18, 2024 in which the eligibility was restricted to only two academic years 2024 and 2025. The bench said that if the students have opted out of their course following the November 5 decision with the understanding that they will be entitled to appear for the JEE exam, then withdrawal of the promise on November 18, 2024 will not cause them any harm. can be given.

Without considering the merits of the decision of the Joint Admission Board, the top court said that students who left their studies between November 5 and November 18, 2024, will be allowed to register for the examination.

The top court was hearing two petitions, one of which was filed by 22 candidates, challenging the reduction in the number of attempts available to candidates for JEE-Advanced from three to two.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the petitioners said that due to the promise made in the press release dated November 5, 2024, they left the colleges to participate in the examination conducted for admission to the prestigious IITs. In another petition, it was said that the matter pertains to the admission process in IIT and JAB arbitrarily changed the eligibility criteria for students.