KHUSHI JAYDEEP SHAH Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner herein - a student aspiring to undertake the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (UG) - 2020 (NEET exam) scheduled to be held on 03.05.2020 has knocked the doors of this Court to permit her to fill the online registration form for NEET exam as she could not fill the form within the time prescribed.

(2.) Mr. Dipak Dave, learned advocate for the petitioner has drawn my attention to the schedule of important dates given by the National Testing Agency for holding NEET 2020 examinations. The same reads as under:

(3.) Mr. K.V. Shelat, learned advocate for the respondent agency drew my attention to the affidavit-in-reply filed and submitted that a public notice was issued on 02.12.2019 and a schedule of the registration was so prescribed keeping in view the fact that as per the decision of the Apex Court a strict time line has to be maintained for the purposes of medical examinations and admissions. The entire process was online and divided into four steps which has been set out in the affidavit. He submitted that the initial period for registration of Step 1 was from 02.12.2019 to 31.12.2019. Representations were received from several sources to extend the deadline and therefore the last date for online submission was extended from 31.12.2019 to 06.01.2020. A public notice was issued about the extension of such deadline and it was made clear to the candidates that such extension was for Step 1. The correction window from 03.02.2020 to 09.02.2020 was only for the candidates who completed step 1 and had registered. No provision was made to give multiple chances to the candidates to register online at Step 1 when already the deadline was once extended from 31.12.2019 to 06.02.2020. He submitted that extending the deadline for registration for any special case would tantamount to creating inconvenience and would also create inequality inasmuch as merely because the petitioner has come to the Court, such benefit would be granted.