The Allahabad High Court has rejected a plea filed by three candidates of the JEE (Main) 2025 exam who sought a re-examination, claiming they were delayed due to a traffic jam caused by the Chief Minister’s convoy in Lucknow.
The case was heard by Justice Jaspreet Singh, who acknowledged the inconvenience faced by the students but held that the situation did not warrant judicial interference. The candidates, represented by Advocate Sabir Ali, approached the Court with a writ petition seeking permission to appear in the exam on a different date between April 4 and April 8, 2025, after missing their original slot scheduled for April 2, 2025 (3:00 PM to 6:00 PM).
According to the petitioners, they were caught in a traffic jam around 1:30 PM at Samta Mulak Chauraha, Gomti Nagar, due to the Chief Minister’s convoy. Though the road reopened after about 30 minutes, the resulting congestion prevented them from reaching Azad Technical Campus, the exam center, before the gate closing time of 2:30 PM. They arrived at 2:35 PM, just five minutes late, and were denied entry despite requesting the center authorities.
The Court noted:
"The petitioners may have the legal right to appear in the examination, but the same is qualified as per the instructions issued by the testing agency, which is within their domain."
The National Testing Agency (NTA), represented by Deputy Solicitor General Shashank Bhasin, argued that the candidates were required to report at least two hours before the exam, as per Clause 5 of the 2025 exam guidelines. The guidelines clearly stated that:
"In case of any reason, including traffic jams or public transport delays, if candidates reach the center late, no fresh examination shall be held."
The Court emphasized that:
"In the absence of a legal right and its consequential denial, a writ of mandamus cannot be issued."
Justice Singh also pointed out that although the admit card suggested reporting by 1:00 PM, the crucial time was the gate closure at 2:30 PM, which the petitioners admittedly missed. The bench further observed that no proof was presented to show all three petitioners were affected by the same traffic situation since they lived in different areas and might not have traveled together.
Additionally, there was no evidence that NTA had provisions or flexibility to accommodate such situations. The Court concluded that:
"In case of breach of following the instructions, more particularly reaching late due to traffic, the petitioners cannot seek re-examination nor is there any legal obligation on NTA."
In light of these facts, the plea was dismissed, with the Court refusing to grant the relief sought and making the costs easy.
Final Order Date: April 4, 2025
Case title - Rida Fatima Khan And Others vs. Union Of India Thru. Secy., Deptt. Of Higher Education, Ministry Of Education, New Delhi And Ors 2025
Court: High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench
Case No.: Writ - C No. 3253 of 2025
Petitioners: Rida Fatima Khan & Others
Respondents: Union of India & National Testing Agency (NTA)
