The Delhi High Court has granted final relief to students enrolled in the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) who were left out of the JEE Mains 2025 counselling process due to non-declaration of Class 12 results.
Justice Vikas Mahajan, who heard the entire case, emphasised that these students have put in a lot of effort in preparing for JEE (Mains) for two to four years, sometimes even more. The court also said that such students should not be excluded from counselling only because their results have been delayed.
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The Court said “Students work hard for two to four years or perhaps even more to prepare for JEE (Mains), and they should not be excluded from consideration in counselling merely on the ground that the Class 12 result has not been declared on time,”
The Court also highlighted the need for better coordination between all the national and state boards conducting Class 12 exams and the counselling bodies.
The Court says “There should be proper coordination between the counselling bodies and all the boards at the national and state level…The counselling bodies may consider the aspect of delay in declaration of result as has been done by JoSAA,”
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With the last date for registration being June 2, 2025, the Court issued interim directions:
NIOS was directed to expedite the declaration of Class 12 results, preferably on or before June 17, so that students get at least a chance. A two-day buffer for registration on the one-day counselling window on June 19 with the Joint Admission Council (JAC).
The JAC was directed to allow the petitioner students to physically register for counselling on June 2, but clarified that seat allotment will only take place if they submit their Class 12 results before the declaration of round one seat allotment results.
If the results are not declared by June 19, the JAC must allow the students to register on June 19, even without results, with the condition that they submit the results before round two seat allotment.
The Court clarified that "the respondent/JAC shall permit the petitioners to register themselves… with the condition that seat allotment will be made… only if they are able to submit the Class 12 results before the declaration of seat allotment results."
Additionally, the JAC was directed to inform other similarly affected candidates and grant them similar relief during the June 19 window.
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The court said “The respondent/JAC is also directed to inform other candidates similar to the petitioners… and allow them to register… and give them the same benefit,” .
However, the court made it clear that the order was specific to the facts of this case and should not be considered as a precedent. It said the directions given do not create any special equivalence in favour of the petitioner students.
The case came in response to petitions filed by five students who had cleared the JEE Mains 2025 conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Despite qualifying, they were unable to register for counselling due to their pending Class 12 results.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for July 7, 2025.
Counsel for Petitioner Akshita Shehrawat: Mr. Gaurav Deshraj and Mr. Naveen Kumar, Advs
Counsel for Petitioner Om Upadhyay and Ors: Mr. Ankit Singh Sinsinwar, Mr. Ravi Kumar, Mr. Dhananjay Kumar and Ms. Neha Yadav, Advs
Counsel for Petitioner Aryan Verma: Mr. Samar K., Mr. Anmol Agarwal, Mr. P. Sharma, Mr. Kushal Gupta, Mr. Abhishek Singh, Ms. Kavita Vinayak and Mr. Gaurav Vashisht, Advs
Counsel for Respondents: Mr. S. Rajappa, Mr. R. Gowrishankar and Ms. G. Dhivyasri, Advs. for R- 1/NIOS; Mr. Soumava Karmakar and Ms. Jyoti Bajaj, Adv. for UOI; Ms. Avnish Ahlawat, SC for DTU with Mr. NK Singh, Ms. Aliza Alam, Mr. Mohnish and Mr. Amitoj, Advs. for R-3; Mr. Arjun Mitra, Adv. for R-2 & R-5
Title: AKSHITA SEHRAWAT (MINOR) REPRESENT BY HER FATHER SH. DEEPAK KUMAR v. DELHI TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY (DTU) & ORS and other connected matters
