New Delhi: In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has allowed students who dropped out of their courses between November 5 and November 18, 2024, to register for JEE Advanced 2025, following a controversial rule change that reduced the number of eligible attempts from three to two.

Background

The Joint Admission Board (JAB), which conducts the JEE Advanced exam, initially announced on November 5, 2024, that students who completed Class 12 in 2023, 2024, or 2025 could attempt the exam. However, just 13 days later, on November 18, JAB issued another press release limiting eligibility to students from the 2024 and 2025 batches, excluding those from 2023.

This abrupt change led several aspirants to drop out of their ongoing courses in good faith, believing they could attempt the JEE Advanced. When the rule was revised, these students were left ineligible, prompting them to challenge the decision in court.

Supreme Court’s Ruling

A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and Augustine George Masih ruled in favor of the petitioners, allowing students who withdrew from their courses during the November 5–18 window to register for the 2025 exam. The court emphasized that these students acted in good faith based on the initial announcement and should not be penalized for the subsequent rule change.

While the court refrained from addressing the broader merits of JAB’s decision to reduce attempts, it ensured fairness by restoring eligibility for this specific group of students.

Petitioners’ Concerns

Stress and Uncertainty: Petitioners argued that reducing the number of attempts would exacerbate stress among aspirants, undermining efforts to reduce academic pressure.
Arbitrariness: The sudden policy reversal was deemed arbitrary, leaving students disadvantaged after making life-altering decisions based on the initial rules.

Implications
This ruling provides a second chance for affected students to pursue their dream of studying at IITs. It also highlights the importance of clear and consistent policies for high-stakes exams like the JEE Advanced, ensuring that students are not unfairly disadvantaged by abrupt changes.

Eligible students from the specified dropout period can now register for JEE Advanced 2025 and continue their academic journey with renewed hope.

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