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The Madhya Pradesh High Court has reserved its verdict on whether students affected by a power outage during the NEET-UG 2025 exam in Indore and Ujjain should be granted a re-examination or alternative relief. The case, which has drawn national attention, centers on the disruption faced by candidates who reportedly had to write their medical entrance exam by candlelight due to a prolonged blackout on May 4, 2025.
A division bench comprising Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Binod Kumar Dwivedi concluded final arguments on July 10, 2025. The court had earlier stayed a single-judge order that directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to hold a re-exam for the affected students. After nearly two hours of deliberation, the bench reserved its judgment, which is expected before Monday.
Advocate Mradul Bhatnagar, representing the petitioning students, highlighted the severe disadvantages faced by candidates during the blackout, including inadequate lighting and the stress of writing a crucial exam under such conditions. He noted that while the court recognized the difficulties, it remained noncommittal about ordering a re-test.
The NTA, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, submitted an expert committee report stating that most candidates could continue the exam due to natural light and generator backups at some centers. The report claimed with “99 per cent confidence” that there was no significant difference in performance between affected and unaffected centers. However, the NTA admitted that no CCTV footage was available because the cameras were inoperative during the blackout.
Advocate Rupesh Kumar, for the students, disputed the committee’s findings, arguing that the lighting was insufficient and that severe weather further hampered visibility. Senior Advocate Aditya Sanghi questioned why, in 2025, some centers still lacked adequate power backup, forcing students to rely on candlelight.
Legal and Practical Considerations
The court weighed the legal viability of a re-exam, with the NTA contending that only 75 students from Indore (out of over 27,000) had sought relief. The bench expressed concern about setting a precedent that could disrupt the results for lakhs of students, but also suggested that the NTA should consider compensating the affected candidates, possibly through grace marks or other remedies.
The Solicitor General pointed out that several candidates from the affected centers had scored highly, including one who secured an All India Rank 2, suggesting that the disruption did not universally impair performance.
On June 30, 2025, the Indore Bench of the MP High Court had ordered a re-exam exclusively for students who filed petitions before June 3, 2025—approximately 75 candidates from Indore and Ujjain. The court found that these students’ right to equality was violated due to the unequal exam conditions. The NTA was directed to conduct a fresh exam for these students, with their final ranks to be based solely on their re-exam scores.
With the verdict now reserved, affected students and their families await clarity on whether a re-exam, compensation, or alternative relief will be granted. The outcome is expected to have significant implications for exam fairness and future protocols in high-stakes national tests.
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information as of July 11, 2025, and court proceedings reported by EdexLive and other sources. The final verdict of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on this matter is still pending at the time of publication. Readers are advised to consult official court releases or the National Testing Agency for the latest updates.
