HC rules out CET re-exam, wants a redressal cell

Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed two petitions seeking a re-examination of the medical and engineering Common Entrance Test (CET). The students — 22 of them — had alleged that they were given insufficient time to answer the highly competitive examination.

The court has, however, directed the state government to constitute a “grievance redressal committee” to tackle such situations in the future.

Students had demanded a re-examination or compensation in the form of grace marks for not being given the entire 90 minutes for answering the CET. Justices SB Mhase and AA Kumbhakoni were of the view that conducting an important examination like the CET was an “irreversible event”. Moreover, for students who have moved the court, all 2,03,265 who took the examination on May 8 cannot be made to go through the ordeal of preparing for it once again, they said.

The court stated that if additional marks were given to these students, it would be unfair on other students as every mark counts. The judges appreciated the efforts of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) in conducting the examination meticulously, but said, “It is humanly impossible to lay down a cent percent perfect system of examination and implement it at a grassroots level in a foolproof manner.”

The judges said, “In such cases, the court must bear in mind that its heart cannot rule its head. General sympathies shown kindheartedly to the students by taking lenient view in their favour are always misplaced and misdirected.”