SC Rejects Plea to Stay NEET-UG Counselling Over Answer-Key Error
The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea seeking a stay on the counselling process for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2025 examination over an alleged error in the answer key released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) last month. The petitioners claimed that one of the answers was incorrect as per the Class XI NCERT textbook and had not been rectified by the NTA.
The plea was filed by a group of students who had appeared for the NEET-UG examination on May 7, 2025. They argued that the answer key released by the NTA contained an error in the biology section, which had a significant impact on the results of the examination. The petitioners sought a stay on the counselling process, which was scheduled to begin on May 12, 2025, until the answer key was corrected.
The petitioners also requested the court to direct the NTA to re-evaluate the answers of the students affected by the error in the answer key. They claimed that the incorrect answer key had caused a significant injustice to the students who had worked hard to prepare for the examination.
The NTA, on the other hand, denied the allegations of an error in the answer key. The agency claimed that the answer key was prepared through a rigorous process involving experts in the field and that the results were declared based on the answer key. The NTA also stated that it had followed all the necessary procedures and guidelines while preparing the answer key.
The Supreme Court, however, dismissed the plea seeking a stay on the counselling process. The court held that the petitioners had not provided sufficient evidence to establish that the answer key contained an error. The court also noted that the NTA had followed all the necessary procedures and guidelines while preparing the answer key.
The court also observed that the petitioners had not filed any representation or complaint with the NTA regarding the alleged error in the answer key. The court held that the petitioners had not exhausted all the available remedies and had not followed the proper procedure.
The court also observed that the counselling process was already underway, and the students who had qualified for the examination had already been informed of their results. The court held that a stay on the counselling process would cause unnecessary delay and hardship to the students who had qualified for the examination.
In its order, the Supreme Court stated, “We do not find any merit in the petition. The petitioners have not provided any evidence to establish that the answer key contained an error. The NTA has followed all the necessary procedures and guidelines while preparing the answer key. The petitioners have not exhausted all the available remedies and have not followed the proper procedure.”
The court also imposed a cost of Rs. 50,000 on the petitioners for filing a frivolous petition.
The rejection of the plea by the Supreme Court is a big relief for the NTA and the students who had qualified for the examination. The court’s decision will enable the counselling process to proceed smoothly, and the students who had qualified for the examination can now focus on their future plans.
The Supreme Court’s decision is also a reminder to the students and the educational institutions to follow the proper procedure and guidelines while challenging the answer key or the results of an examination. The court’s decision emphasizes the importance of exhausting all the available remedies and following the proper procedure before approaching the court.
In conclusion, the Supreme Court’s decision to reject the plea seeking a stay on the counselling process for the NEET-UG 2025 examination over an alleged error in the answer key is a welcome development. The court’s decision will enable the counselling process to proceed smoothly, and the students who had qualified for the examination can now focus on their future plans.
