The Madras High Court has issued an interim stay on the release of NEET-UG 2025 results after several students complained of serious disruptions during the exam due to a power cut and storm at a Chennai examination centre.
What Happened on Exam Day
According to a petition filed by 13 students, the NEET-UG exam held on May 4 at PM Shri Kendriya Vidyalaya CRPF-Vavadi, Chennaiwas severely impacted between 3.00 PM and 4.15 PM due to a power outage caused by heavy rainfall. The exam hall lacked backup power facilities, and students had to write under poor lighting conditions while dealing with rainwater entering the hall.
The situation worsened when students were asked to change seats, adding to the chaos and loss of valuable exam time. Despite this, authorities did not extend the exam duration to compensate for the disruption.
Petitioners Claim Violation of Fundamental Rights
The students claimed they faced unfair and unequal exam conditions compared to peers at other centres, which violated Article 14 of the Constitution (Right to Equality). They also cited a breach of Article 21 (Right to Life and Liberty), arguing that their future was at stake due to administrative failure.
Their plea highlighted that NEET, being a national-level exam, must maintain fairness and uniformity. Despite filing timely complaints on the day of the exam, the students said no action was taken by the authorities, including the National Testing Agency and the National Medical Commission.
Next Hearing Scheduled for June 2
Justice V Lakshminarayanan, hearing the case, accepted the students’ arguments and stayed the result declaration. The matter will be taken up again on June 2 for further proceedings.
Conclusion: Call for Accountability and Fairness
This incident underlines the need for robust infrastructure and quick redressal mechanisms during high-stakes national exams. As thousands await results, the court’s decision could influence policy changes to ensure every candidate has an equal opportunity.
