SUPREME COURT REJECTS INDIVIDUAL PLEA IN NEET UG 2025 ANSWER KEY DISPUTE, BACKS NTA’S FINALITY.

Case Overview

Case Name – Shivam Gandhi Raina vs. National Testing Agency & Ors .

In Shivam Gandhi Raina vs. National Testing Agency & Ors., the Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta dismissed a petition filed by a NEET aspirant challenging the NEET UG 2025 answer key. The petitioner objected to Question No. 136 (Code No. 47) and sought a stay on counselling along with correction in the result. However, the Court refused to entertain the plea, stressing that individual grievances cannot override the sanctity of national-level competitive examinations.

Key Aspects

The Court evaluated the facts of the case and the reliefs sought by the petitioner before arriving at its conclusion . Key factual and legal concerns are outlined below:

• Petitioner challenged final answer key released by National Testing Agency for NEET UG 2025 .
  
• Alleged error in Question 136 of Code 47 .
  
• Demanded correction and stay on counselling process .
  
• Cited 2024 SC intervention in NEET UG via expert committee (IIT-Delhi) .
  
• Court distinguished previous year’s wide-scale issue from this individual claim .
  

Legal Insights

The Court reinforced established constitutional principles and judicial precedents that guide its approach in educational matters . The following legal provisions were relied upon or referenced :

• Article 32 of the Constitution : While allowing direct access to the Supreme Court of India, it is limited to enforcement of fundamental rights—not applicable to academic disputes unless arbitrary or discriminatory .
  
• Article 226 of the Constitution : Grants writ jurisdiction to High Courts; however, judicial review in academic matters is restricted unless there is a clear case of procedural irregularity or mala fide .
  
• Judicial Precedent : In Maharashtra State Board v. Paritosh Bhupeshkumar Sheth, AIR 1984 SC 1543, the Court held that evaluation errors alone do not justify judicial intervention unless there’s manifest injustice .
  
• The principle of finality in academic evaluations was upheld to ensure the stability of national competitive processes like NEET UG .
  

Court’s Verdict

The Supreme Court of India dismissed the plea, holding that individual grievances cannot be a ground for halting or modifying the NEET UG counselling process . It reiterated its trust in the National Testing Agency and stressed that interference would set a harmful precedent unless widespread systemic faults are evident .

Source – Supreme Court of India 

Read also – Article 32 of the constitution