KRISHNA Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard learned counsel for the petitioner Sri.Devraj Kamankeri and Sri.Shantibhushan, learned Deputy Solicitor General of India along with Sri.Sudhir Singh R.Vijapur, learned Deputy Solicitor General of India for the respondent Nos.1, 3 and 4.

(2.) This petition is filed by the petitioners/students seeking a writ of mandamus by way of a direction to be issued to the respondents to permit the petitioners to complete the applications and make the payment of fee and to participate in the examination scheduled to be conducted on 18/1/2026.

(3.) The brief facts are that the petitioners are minor children studying in fifth standard aspiring to appear for the Sainik School Entrance Examination conducted by the National Testing Agency. On 10/10/2025, respondent No.3 got issued a public notice inviting online applications for All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination (AISSEE) 2026. The last date for submission of the application was fixed on 30/10/2025. But later for certain reasons, in the interest of the public, it was extended to 9/11/2025 through a Public Notification dtd. 30/10/2025. The petitioners/students applied and registered their applications through online portal on 28/10/2025. It is submitted that due to lack of knowledge of public Notification technicalities involved and the intricacies, the petitioners/students were unable to complete and submit their applications within the stipulated time. All the four students are pursuing coaching to get admission into the premier institution i.e., the Sainik Schools. As the parents of the students are illiterate and not familiar with the legal intricacies involved in the application process and filing of the applications through online mode, they did not even have access to online facilities for filling up of the application forms, hence they had approached the Director of the Coaching Center and sent an email to respondent No.3 dtd. 10/11/2025 requesting permission to complete the submission of online applications. However, there was no reply sent to the email sent by the Coaching Class Director. Hence, the petitioners are seeking indulgence of this Court to permit them to make necessary amends to complete the online applications and permit them to write the entrance examination for the Sainik Schools. It is further contended by learned counsel for the petitioners that non-permission or non-reply to the email sent by the Coaching Class Director on behalf of the petitioners is violative of the principles of natural justice, illegal and arbitrary and having not communicated by way of reply to the petitioners by the respondents is again illegal and arbitrary and the same is not expected from the Central Examination Conducting Authority. Therefore, in view of violation of Articles 14, 21 and 21A of the Constitution of India while denying the opportunity to participate in educational entrance examination affects the rights of the students to proper education and a fair opportunity. It is also contented by learned counsel that Article 371(J) is also violated. So also Article 15(4) of the Constitution of India. Hence, petitioners have approached this Court for indulgence in this matter.