Delhi High Court Allows Student To Provisionally Appear In JEE (Advanced) Amid Dispute Over Prior IIT Seat Allotment
The Delhi High Court has permitted a student to provisionally appear in JEE (Advanced) 2026, in a case raising questions over his eligibility— arising from prior allotment of a seat at an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).Petitioner-aspirant challenged his ineligibility under the JEE (Advanced) 2026 criteria, which bars candidates who have previously accepted admission to an IIT....
The Delhi High Court has permitted a student to provisionally appear in JEE (Advanced) 2026, in a case raising questions over his eligibility— arising from prior allotment of a seat at an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).
Petitioner-aspirant challenged his ineligibility under the JEE (Advanced) 2026 criteria, which bars candidates who have previously accepted admission to an IIT.
Petitioner had been allotted a seat at IIT Guwahati during the JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) counselling process in 2025. Although the seat was deemed accepted after the final round of counselling, he did not ultimately join the programme or complete physical document verification at the institute.
Petitioner argued that since he had neither joined the course nor completed the admission formalities, he should fall within the category of candidates eligible to reappear for JEE (Advanced).
The authorities however, relied on the eligibility criterion which disqualifies candidates who have accepted an IIT seat, irrespective of whether they continued in the programme.
Justice Jasmeet Singh noted that the issue will be decided as and when the counter-affidavit is filed by the respondent and final adjudication is made in the writ petition.
However, in case the petitioner is not provisionally permitted to appear in JEE Advance 2026 scheduled for May 17, the petition will become infructuous.
“The petitioner is entitled only to two attempts at JEE Advance of which the petitioner has already exhausted the one opportunity in 2025,” the bench noted.
As such, it directed that the petitioner be issued an admit card and be allowed to provisionally appear in JEE (Advanced) 2026. It clarified that the petitioner's result would remain subject to the final outcome of the writ petition.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on May 25.
Appearance: Ms. Tanvi Dubey, Adv., Mr. Yash Dubey, Adv. for Petitioner; Mr. Arjun Mitra, Adv. for Respondent
Case title: Vijay Singh Meena v. Joint Seat Allocation Authority Josaa & Ors
Case no.: W.P.(C) 5770/2026