[GATE 2022] Plea before Supreme Court to postpone exam: LIVE UPDATES

The Supreme Court will hear today a batch of pleas seeking postponement of the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) exam scheduled to be held physically this month.

The exam is scheduled to be held on February 5, 6, 12, and 13.

The plea by eleven GATE candidates, has sought directions from the top court to the Union government and IIT-Kharagpur (organisers of GATE) to postpone the exam in light of the surge in COVID-19 cases.

The petition pointed out that 20 exams conducted by different government bodies were postponed in recent times due to COVID.

Holding the exam in the midst of surge in COVID would violate right to life and personal liberty of the candidates, it was contended.

In particular, the plea took objection to the notification for the exam, which it claimed has instructions that violate Articles 14 and 21.

These instructions state that while asymptomatic candidates and those with minor symptoms will be allowed to appear for the exam at the centres, those who have tested positive recently or come in contact with a COVID infected person will be barred.

These rules are arbitrary and unreasonable, the plea said.

The matter is being heard by a Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant and Vikram Nath.

Live Updates from the hearing below.