The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a plea filed by a group of Class 12 students to postpone the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test 2021 (NEET-UG) and announced that the exam will be conducted as per schedule on September 12.

The students had submitted the petition claiming that the entrance exam’s dates clashed with other major exams. The supreme court mentioned that it does not want to interfere with the process and that it will be unfair to reschedule it. “Relief claimed is to quash public notice issued scheduling NEET UG 2021 on 12th sept. For reasons canvassed by petitioners’ counsel we are neither impressed nor willing to show any indulgence to petitioners or allow them to invoke remedy under Article 32,” the bench said.

Allowing the petitioners to make representations to the National Testing Agency (NTA) on the matter, the court further specified, “The competent authority may take appropriate decision in accordance with law. When you hold the exams for 16 lakh students all factors are taken into account, we can’t defer it. Students have been allotted centers also so they can make travel arrangements. Those centers may not be available after 7 days.”

The bench added that if students wanted to appear in multiple examinations, then they would have to prioritise and make a choice as there may never be a situation where everybody is satisfied with the date of exams.