However, it's learnt, the Supreme Court agreed to examine the broader legal issue of whether authorities can alter the formula used to standardise marks from different education boards.
Published Jul 16, 2025 | 3:05 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 16, 2025 | 3:05 PM
Supreme Court (iStock)
Synopsis: The Supreme Court on 16 July declined to interfere in this year’s KEAM admissions amid a row over revised results but agreed to examine the broader legal issue of changing standardisation formulas. The court was hearing a plea by Kerala State Board students after the High Court upheld a reversion to the old formula, benefiting CBSE students.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 16 July, clarified that it will not intervene in this year’s KEAM (Kerala Engineering Architecture Medical) admission process, despite controversies surrounding a revised mark list.
The case was considered by a division bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and AS Chandurkar.
However, it’s learnt, the court agreed to examine the broader legal issue of whether authorities can alter the formula used to standardise marks from different education boards.
According to Livelaw, Justice Narasimha responding to Advocate Prashant Bhushan, the petitioners’ lawyer, “Mr.Prashant Bhushan, we are not inclined to interfere. But the question which needs to be reflected, we will examine, we will hear.”
When Bhushan submitted that the question can be examined for this year also, the bench refused, saying it will “cause uncertainty.”
Declining the request made by Prashant Bhushan, for an urgent hearing next week, the bench posted the matter after four weeks, asking the State to file its counter.
The bench was hearing a Special Leave Petition filed by students from the Kerala State Board, after they challenged a Kerala High Court verdict that had invalidated the earlier KEAM results for using a changed standardisation formula, contrary to what was originally mentioned in the exam prospectus.
Following the High Court ruling, the Kerala government republished the results using the unamended formula, resulting in CBSE board students securing most of the top ranks.
Earlier, the state informed the court that Kerala chose not to appeal the High Court verdict to avoid disrupting the ongoing admission process.
“We wanted to challenge it but refrained, as we did not want to upset the process,” the state informed the bench.
The case will now proceed with the apex court examining the legal question of altering standardisation norms mid-process.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
