The Gujarat High Court has dismissed a petition filed by a student who appeared for the Joint Entrance Test (JEE-Mains) as a general category candidate but was denied the opportunity to apply under the economically weaker section (EWS) quota for JEE (Advanced).
Court's Ruling on Category Change
While rejecting the petition, the High Court observed that a candidate who applies for JEE (Mains) as a general category student and is declared successful cannot later be permitted to change their category to general EWS. The court emphasized that such a change would undermine the integrity of the examination process.
Details of the Case
The case involved a student from Ahmedabad who had applied for JEE (Mains) under the general category and achieved a score of 99.5987 NTA percentile, making him eligible for JEE (Advanced) and potential admission to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). After clearing JEE (Mains), the student obtained an EWS certificate on April 6, citing his family's weak financial condition. However, when he applied for JEE (Advanced) on April 23, he was not allowed to apply under the GEN-EWS category.
The student approached the High Court, arguing through his counsel that he could not apply under the EWS category due to a technical glitch. He requested the court to direct IIT-Roorkee to permit him to apply under the quota. Additionally, the counsel submitted that EWS status would help the student secure scholarships, as his family would otherwise face difficulties financing his education.
Court's Observations
After hearing the case, Justice J L Odedra noted that the petitioner had initially chosen to apply for JEE (Mains) as a general category candidate. The court stated that it cannot be assumed that the petitioner suffered an economic setback after the JEE (Mains) application, thereby transforming him into a candidate eligible for the GEN-EWS category. The court further pointed out that there were no pleadings to support such a claim.
The High Court concluded that a candidate cannot be permitted to change their category from general to EWS after the fact. The court remarked, "What is masked as a technical glitch by the petitioner is actually an attempt to change the category from general to GEN-EWS category, which, as such, cannot be permitted." Accordingly, the petition was deemed lacking in merit and was rejected.
Implications of the Verdict
This ruling reinforces the principle that candidates must adhere to the category they choose at the time of application for JEE (Mains). Any subsequent changes, even if supported by newly obtained certificates, are not permissible. The decision underscores the importance of maintaining the integrity of the examination and reservation system.
