IIT-JEE : Supreme Court Refuses To Review Reduction Of JEE(Advanced) Attempts; Allows Petitioners Who Dropped Out Between Nov 5-18 To Register

The Supreme Court today refused to interfere with the decision of the authorities to reduce the attempts for Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) from three to two.At the same time, the Court granted relief to petitioners, who dropped out of their courses between November 5, 2024, and November 18, 2024, by allowing them to take part in the exam.The Court passed the order in a writ petition filed by aspirants challenging the decision of authorities to reduce the attempt limit for JEE(Advanced) from three to two. On November 5, 2024, the Joint Admission Board (JAB) announced that three attempts would be given for JEE(Advanced). However, within two weeks, on November 18, 2024, the JAB reversed the decision and said that only two attempts would be given.Some of the petitioners before the Supreme Court submitted that they had dropped out of their engineering courses after the November 5 decision which raised the number of attempts to three. The reversal of the decision has caused them irreparable damage, the petitioners, represented by Senior Advocate K Paremeswar and Advocate Anandita Mitra argued.Considering this, a bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih ordered :"In the press release dated November 5, 2024, a clear promise was made to the students that those who had appeared for the Class 12 exam in 2023, 2024 and 2025 would be eligible to appear for JEE(Advanced). If the students acting on the said representation have dropped from their course with the understanding that they would be entitled to appear for JEE, the withdrawal of promise on November 18, 2024, cannot act to their detriment. In the peculiar facts and circumstances, without observing anything on the merits of the decision taken by JAB, such of the students who have withdrawn from their courses and dropped out between November 5, 2024 and November 18, 2024 would be permitted to register for JEE(Advanced). With the aforesaid direction, the petition was disposed of."At the same time, the bench clarified that it was not questioning the wisdom of the authorities in reducing the attempts, considering the Solicitor General's submission that the decision was taken to ensure that the students focused on their graduate courses instead of only spending time making attempts at the JEE."We are not considering the wisdom of respondent no.2(JAB) in restricting the zone of consideration either for two years or three years. For valid reasons, if respondent no.2 only to two years, no fault could be found with the same."Reportedly, last November, the Board increased the attempt limit for the JEE Advanced to three. However, within a few weeks, the decision was the Board was taken back and the two-attempt policy was reinstated.On November 18, 2024, the Board issued a Press Release stating: "The Joint Admission Board (JAB) has decided to restore the earlier eligibility criterion used in previous years pertaining to number of attempts in JEE (Advanced), in supersession of the criterion mentioned in Press Release dated November 05, 2024. This has been done after considering various competing requirements in the meeting of JAB held on November 15, 2024. This has resulted in restoring the earlier eligibility criteria followed since 2013. All other eligibility criteria remain same."The petitioners are seeking that the earlier decision of the Board granting three attempts to appear for the JEE Advanced should be restored.Senior Advocate K Paremeshwar submitted that initially it was decided to allow three attempts, but within thirteen days, it was revoked, which is arbitrary."On Nov 5, JAB said students who are graduating in 2023, 2024, and 2025, they are eligible for giving exams. 13 days later, the eligibility was reduced to those giving exams in 2024 and passing out in 2025. Having held out the promise on 5th November, why not give us an opportunity? They can do whatever they want the next year," he submitted. He submitted that following the first decision, many students had dropped out of engineering colleges to pursue JEE(Advanced) and the immediate revocation of the decision has resulted in "irreversible consequences.""5th November you held out a promise that you will be eligible. And we have taken decisions based on that which are irreversible," Parameshwar said. He added that the authorities failed to furnish the reasons for the decision when RTI applications were filed.Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, for the JAB, submitted earlier only two attempts were given for JEE. Later, a decision was taken to allow three attempts. However, it was found that students, who take admissions in regular engineering courses, were focusing on JEE entrance exams instead of focusing on their B.Tech courses, and hence, this decision was taken to reduce the attempts to two. "After two years, at least concentrate on your engineering studies and stop focusing on IITs. This is a decision taken in the interest of students only. It is a pure policy...

IIT-JEE : Supreme Court Refuses To Review Reduction Of JEE(Advanced) Attempts; Allows Petitioners Who Dropped Out Between Nov 5-18 To Register

Gursimran Kaur Bakshi

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