The Supreme Court of India, on Monday, rejected a plea challenging the government’s decision to cancel the UGC-NET 2024 examination due to alleged paper leaks. The court emphasized that intervening at this stage would only contribute to “uncertainty and utter chaos.”

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra noted that the examination, initially held on June 18 and subsequently canceled on June 19, has been rescheduled for August 21. The bench reasoned that since nearly two months have passed since the cancellation, entertaining the plea now would disrupt the process.

“The exam is now scheduled on August 21, and any interference at this point would only add to the uncertainty. The plea challenges the cancellation, but we must consider the broader implications. Nine lakh candidates are set to appear for the exam on August 21. At this late stage, the cancellation cannot be contested,” the bench said.

The court underscored the need for “certainty” for the students preparing for the exam, stating that the Central government acted prudently in canceling the examination following the alleged leaks, especially in light of previous incidents like the NEET-UG fiasco.

The Supreme Court was hearing a petition filed by a group of candidates opposing the authorities’ decision to cancel the UGC-NET exam held on June 18 and to conduct a re-test on August 21.

The government had canceled the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) on June 19 after allegations of a question paper leak surfaced. The matter was subsequently referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further investigation.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a lawyer seeking to halt the re-examination of the UGC-NET until the CBI completed its inquiry into the allegations.

The UGC-NET exam is a crucial test determining candidates’ eligibility for research opportunities, including the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Senior Research Fellowship (SRF).