The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the organising agency of the JEE (Advanced) — conducted by IIT-Bombay this year for admission to the Indian institutes of technologies (IITs) — to consider within two days the grievances of students who have petitioned the court with complaints that they faced technical glitches while attempting questions on August 28.
The students had sought additional exams and a stay on declaration of results scheduled on September 11. However, the HC said that while it was concerned about their grievances and also the interest of large number of students who gave the exams, “this is the best it can do”.
Justice Sanjay V Gangapurwala and Justice R N Laddha were hearing a plea filed by Taneshq Gorrakkh Zendey, Aryan Gupta and 12 others, who have alleged that they faced enormous problems while answering questions of the exam held on August 28 in two sessions.
Advocates S S Kulkarni, Pranjal M Khatavkar and Nitin V Gaware, appearing for the students, said that there were several technical problems in the computer-based test (CBT), including issues with the zoom key, resulting in loss of time and failure to attempt all questions. The petitioners said they had complained after the first session of the exam to ensure that the same is rectified in the second session, however, the problem persisted.
Kulkarni told HC that for most of the time, the students were busy with the mouse to adjust the screen and view the questions. “In fact, the CBT system had collapsed. The grievance was raised with the respective invigilator, however, no one paid heed,” he added.
The students claimed that because of the technical glitches, they should have been given extra time to attempt the questions.
Senior advocate Kevic Setalvad and advocate Sneha Prabhu, representing the chairman of JEE (Advanced) of IIT Bombay, said that only 25 complaints were received on September 2 and 3 from the 1.6 lakh students who appeared for the exam.
The lawyers claimed that on September 3, a provisional answer key was displayed on the website and some complaints were received thereafter, since the “candidates were convinced that they may not fare well”. Setalvad said there was no illegality in the organising agency’s conduct.
Maintaining that the “complaints made by the students are required to be considered”, the HC noted that the exam brochure itself provided a mechanism for complaints to be lodged and their redressal.
As per the mechanism, a candidate can make a grievance to the organising chairman and the decision taken on such a complaint is final. The petitioners, however, said that their complaints are yet to be decided.
The HC directed the agency to decide on petitioners’ grievances by September 10. “It shall scrupulously look into the grievances and arrive at an independent conclusion and communicate the same to the complainants,” it added while disposing the pleas.
Courtesy : The Indian Express
