The Delhi High Court will hear a batch of petitions today, March 23, of 67 JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) Advanced aspirants who missed their chance to appear for JEE Advanced in 2021 and 2022 due to various reasons, including technical glitches and the pandemic. The petitioners are seeking relaxation of the "Two attempts in Two consecutive years" criteria to appear for JEE (Advanced) 2023.
The petitioners argue that the eligibility criteria for JEE (Advanced) 2023 are arbitrary and that they have faced severe mental stress and financial distress due to the pandemic. They also point out that students who passed their Class XII exam in 2020 were granted relaxation to appear in JEE Advanced 2022, but the same is not being granted to them. The petitioners claim that this is a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.
During the last hearing on March 7, the court observed that if a strong case is presented, the petitioners will be allowed to fill out the exam forms to appear for their compensatory JEE Advanced exam. The court has also issued a notice to the Centre seeking a response to the plea. However, the Joint Admission Board (JAB) reportedly stated that no relaxation will be issued now as no condition of medical emergency exists.
The Joint Admission Board (JAB) is reportedly preparing a counter-affidavit.
The Delhi High Court's decision to consider the matter of relaxing the "Two attempts in Two consecutive years" criteria for JEE aspirants was a positive development. The court's observation that the petitioners will be allowed to fill out the exam forms to appear for their compensatory JEE Advanced exam if a strong case is presented raised hopes for the petitioners. However, the outcome of the next hearing and the Centre's response remain to be seen.
