NEET-UG 2025 | Not Submitting Online Application For Want Of Documents Doesn't Create Right To Seek Reopening Of Portal: Gujarat HC

The Gujarat High Court has dismissed a petition filed by a 2025 NEET–UG aspirant seeking to reopen application portal after failing to submit necessary documents due to their unavailability within the prescribed deadline. In doing so the court observed that the applicant failed to make out an “exceptional case” to re-open the window/portal to submit her application, adding that just because she could not submit the documents the same does not create any right in her favour to direct the authorities to open the portal for her. After hearing the submissions and perusing the material on record Justice Nirzar S. Desai in his order observed “…I find that the window for making online application for participating in NEET – UG 2025 has already been closed on 07.03.2025 and therefore, even if, the grounds raised by the petitioner in this petition and those urged at the time of hearing of this petition are believed to be absolutely true, then also, the fact remains that the petitioner failed to submit her application online, at the relevant point of time, for want of necessary documents. Further, merely because the petitioner could not submit her application online, for want of relevant documents, the same would not create any right in favour of the petitioner to seek a direction against the respondents to open the window / portal so that she can submit here application, online. No such direction can be issued in favour of a person, unless he / she makes out an exceptional case for so doing.”The petition was filed seeking directions to the National Testing Agency (NTA) for extension of the NEET-UG 2025 application for 2-3 days to allow the petitioner and similarly placed students to compete their registration due to server issues. The plea as interim relief sought to stay the NEET 2025 exam and all related process including the issuance of admit cards and declaration of results until the final outcome of the petition.The petitioner's counsel contended that the petitioner wants to re-open the window to apply for the registration of NEET(UG) 2025 as she could not upload the necessary documents as she did not have them at the relevant point. He further argued that there were technical glitches on the server as well due to which she could not upload the documents on the portal. The Counsel for NTA submitted that the Bombay High Court's division bench had rejected a similar plea (Namrata Sanjay Sarkate Vs. The Union of India through the Secretary & Another) filed by the aspirants to participate in NEET-UG 2025, that the registration for NEET-UG 2025 had come to end on March 7 and before the deadline, two public notices were issued to the petitioner to complete application online. He then referred to the decision of the Apex Court in Vanshika Yadav vs Union of India (2024) which held that reopening of the registration portal could lead to allegations of manipulation and urged the court to not take a different view from the one taken by the Bombay High Court and to dismiss the present petition.The Court then noted the observation of the Division Bench of the Bombay High Court while dismissing the application filed on the similar grounds by the NEET aspirant that “the re-opening of the window may hypothetically result in facilitating some malpractice, as is the apprehension expressed by the Supreme Court. Therefore, we cannot direct the window to be reopened only to enable the petitioner to participate”Justice Desai referring to the decision of the Apex Court in 'Vanshika Yadav' and the decision of the Bombay High Court then observed that the petitioner failed to “make out an exception case” and decided not to entertain the matter and dismissed the petition.Case Title: Bharvad Meghankaben Nareshbhai vs National Texting Agency (NTA) Through Its Director General & Ors.Click Here To Read/Download OrderCitation: 2025 LiveLaw (Guj) 59

NEET-UG 2025 | Not Submitting Online Application For Want Of Documents Doesn't Create Right To Seek Reopening Of Portal: Gujarat HC

Lovina B Thakkar

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