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Kerala HC Permits CBSE Class 12 Students from the UAE to Enter Re-evaluated Marks with a Condition
A delayed CBSE re-evaluation result impacted the ranking of three students at the 2026 KEAM, one of whom is a UAE resident. The Kerala High Court intervened, providing permission to the three students to enter their updated Class 12 marks on the KEAM portal. However, this privilege will not be applicable for the ongoing first round of KEAM Counselling. The updated marks will be considered for the second round of seat allotment. The order seeks to balance equity among the students against the necessity to finalize the admission process.
The order arrived at an opportune time, because thousands of engineering aspirants are being offered admission to engineering colleges in Kerala as the KEAM Counselling process is in progress.
What Were the Reasons for the Appeal to the Kerala High Court?
The petitioners entered their CBSE Class 12 marks on the KEAM portal within the time prescribed. The petitioners' Class 12 marks were boosted after they applied for re-evaluation.
The issue was with the time. The revaluation results from the CBSE came after the KEAM 2026 engineering rank list was published. As a result, the revised marks could not be updated before the publication of the rank list. The KEAM engineering rank is computed based on the entrance exam and Plus Two marks; thus, a small increase in the Plus Two marks impacts a candidate's rank significantly.
What Did the High Court Decide?
The Kerala High Court decided that the students should not be penalized for delays in the CBSE re-evaluation process. The court also acknowledged that rank lists cannot be published and immediately reopened during an ongoing counseling session.
The court also decided that:
- The CBSE marks of the three petitioners can be uploaded.
- Updated marks will be taken into account by the CEE Kerala.
- A new rank will be created before the second allotment.
- The first allotment will not be changed.
Why This Order Matters
During KEAM, board exam marks play an important role. Higher board exam marks are likely to lead to a better overall rank and better prospects for admission to engineering colleges. Although this decision affects only the three petitioners, it brings to light the issues students face when the results of board exam re-evaluation are released after the deadlines for other entrance exams have been met.
Important Points for KEAM 2026 Aspirants
- The Kerala High Court provided relief to three CBSE students, including one from the UAE.
- Students can now upload their revalued Class XII marks on the KEAM portal.
- No changes will be made to the first allotment.
- A revised rank will be considered only during the second counseling session.
- The judgment only applies to the three petitioners, and no general relaxation has been provided to other candidates.
What Should Students Do Now?
Candidates who got seats from the first allotment should do the admission formalities within the time limit mentioned by the Commissioner for Entrance Exams (CEE), Kerala The rest of the students should keep checking the official KEAM website for any information on tentative revised rank, option rearrangement and second phase counselling.
Conclusion
The decision of the Kerala High Court has provided limited but important relief to students whose CBSE re-evaluations have been delayed. The ruling does not disrupt the ongoing KEAM 2026 admissions process. While the ruling has been made in favour of only three petitioners, it establishes the important guideline of protecting students from the loss of admission opportunities due to circumstances that are beyond the control of the students. The eligible students who are awaiting the second phase of counselling should watch the CEE Kerala portal for notifications on the same.
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