Court Recognises Exam Disparity, Orders Fresh Attempt for Affected NEET Aspirants

Power Outage Prompts NEET UG Re-Exam for Petitioners in Madhya Pradesh

In a significant ruling concerning the integrity of national entrance examinations, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct a re-examination of NEET UG 2025 for candidates affected by a power outage at exam centres in Indore and Ujjain. The decision, issued on 30 June, follows multiple writ petitions filed by students who claimed that the disruption during the 4 May examination severely impacted their performance.

Presiding over the matter, Justice Subodh Abhyankar ruled in favour of the petitioners, stating that the students were placed at a disadvantage due to circumstances beyond their control. The Court held that such unequal examination conditions violated Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to equality. To better understand the situation, the Court even switched off the lights in the courtroom during the hearing and observed that, despite large windows, the lighting remained significantly dim, highlighting the potential impact on students’ performance in centres lacking natural light.

The Court further noted that some students at the same centres had access to better lighting conditions than others, thereby creating an uneven playing field. It clarified that only those candidates who filed petitions before 3 June 2025, the date of the provisional answer key release, would be eligible for the re-test. The NTA has been instructed to conduct the re-examination at the earliest, and only the scores from the re-test will be considered for admissions.

Additionally, the Court stated that counselling for NEET UG 2025 would be contingent upon the re-test results, and the ranks of the petitioners would be determined solely based on their re-exam performance. The original exam, held on 4 May, saw 12.36 lakh candidates qualify, with women comprising 58% of the successful candidates. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of qualifiers, followed by Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Bihar. This ruling underscores the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring fairness and equal opportunity in high-stakes national examinations.

Editor’s Note:

The recent direction by the Madhya Pradesh High Court to reconduct NEET UG 2025 for affected candidates is a firm reminder of the importance of fairness in competitive examinations. Examinations like NEET are life-changing for students, and any disruption, such as the reported power outage in Indore and Ujjain, can have serious consequences on outcomes. The Court’s decision to uphold the right to equality under Article 14 of the Constitution sends a clear message: no student should be disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control. This ruling also highlights the need for stronger safeguards and contingency planning by examination authorities to ensure standardised conditions across all centres. 

Skoobuzz asserts that as the academic future of thousands depends on such tests, it is essential that every candidate is given the same opportunity to perform. Protecting the integrity of these exams builds trust, ensures merit is respected, and reflects a system that is truly just and inclusive.