The Bombay High Court on May 3 dismissed a PIL seeking relaxation of the eligibility criterion of 75% score in higher secondary examination while seeking admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice S.V. Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep Marne observed it cannot intervene at this stage and it was for the government authorities to consider and take a decision.┬а
тАЬAt this stage we canтАЩt intervene with the ongoing process. It is for the government to consider studentsтАЩ grievances,тАЭ the High Court said.┬а
According to the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced brochure released this year, candidates should have secured at least 75% in Class 12 board exams.┬а
The public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Anubha Sahai said until last year, the eligibility criteria of 75% was not applicable.┬а
With this sudden change in eligibility, lakhs of students may be affected, it was submitted.┬а
Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh had argued for the National Testing Agency (NTA) that the policy of 75% criteria was applicable since 2017.┬а
Mr. Singh said the policy was temporarily relaxed for the years 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23.┬а
тАЬIt is not that we are implementing or re-implementing. This condition was kept in abeyance, and it has been revived,тАЭ Mr. Singh said.┬а