K.KIREETI Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioners are students of Second Year Intermediate studying in different institutions, in Hyderabad. They intend to seek admission in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), by taking part in the admission process.

(2.) CONDUCTING of entrance, examination and selection of the candidates for admission into IITs, was entrusted by the Union of India, the 1st respondent herein, to the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi, the 2nd respondent herein. The 2nd respondent issued a press note, dated 07.09.2012, furnishing the details of the Joint Entrance Examination that may be conducted in the forthcoming academic year. Substantial changes were introduced over the system, which was in vogue till the present academic year. According to the extant system, the candidates used to be selected on the basis of the rank that has been awarded in the entrance examination, subject, however, to the condition that they must obtain minimum of 60% marks in the qualifying examination. Trusts now replaced by what is known as 'Percentile System'. Whatever be the rank which a candidate may obtain in the entrance examination, he would be considered for admission, if only he figures within the top 20 percentile of the successful candidates in the respective qualifying examination. The petitioners complain that this would result in a situation where a candidate, hailing from a particular State with a low non-meritorious rank would be able to get admission in the Engineering Course in IIT, whereas another from a different State, with a very superior rank would not stand a chance. It is also their case that the same pattern of selection and admission, that existed when they joined the first year of intermediate course, must be available to them, when they take the entrance examination, in the next academic year.

(3.) HEARD Sri Sri Ram, learned counsel for the petitioners, and Sri Ponnam Ashok Goud, learned Assistant Solicitor General for the respondents.