SC To Hear Plea For NEET UG 2025 Re-Test Over Power Cuts In MP Centres Next Week
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a plea seeking a re-test of the NEET UG 2025 for candidates who allegedly faced power cuts during the exam in Madhya Pradesh. The matter, raised urgently before the court, is now scheduled to be heard next week.
The petition was filed by NEET UG candidates who appeared for the exam at centres in Indore and Ujjain and reportedly faced electricity outages. They are challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court's division bench order that refused to allow a re-test.
Earlier, a single-judge bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court had directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct a re-examination for affected students. The judge noted that the candidates were put at a disadvantage due to circumstances beyond their control and that the counselling process should be made subject to the outcome of the re-test.
However, that decision was later overturned by a division bench of the same court. The bench relied on an expert committee report, which stated that while there were power outages, there was enough natural light for candidates to continue the exam. It also pointed out that only 70 out of over 27,000 candidates from the two districts had filed complaints.
During today's mention before a Supreme Court bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, the petitioners' lawyer requested an urgent hearing, noting that NEET counselling is set to begin on July 21. However, the bench declined to prepone the matter, stating that there will be multiple rounds of counselling and the petitioners will have further opportunities if the court rules in their favour.
The Supreme Court has also issued a notice to the NTA, seeking a response regarding the reported lack of proper arrangements at the exam centres.
The NEET UG 2025 examination was conducted on May 4, and results were announced on June 14. Of the 22.09 lakh students who appeared, 12.36 lakh qualified.
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