Gujarat High Court Allows Correction of Clerical Error in NEET-PG Application, Ensures Fair Participation

Court intervenes to correct a mathematical mistake in a candidate's application, facilitating his entry into NEET-PG 2025 admission process.

In a significant judgment, the Gujarat High Court has ruled in favor of Ronil Umeshkumar Modi, a medical graduate whose participation in the NEET-PG 2025 admission process was jeopardized due to a clerical error in his application form. The court's decision underscores the judiciary's role in ensuring fairness and preventing minor errors from derailing a candidate's academic career.

The petitioner, Mr. Modi, who had completed his MBBS with an aggregate of 68.30% marks, mistakenly entered 67.63% in his NEET-PG application. This discrepancy led to the cancellation of his candidature as per the guidelines stipulated by the admission authorities. Mr. Modi approached the court seeking rectification of his percentage to reflect the original university mark sheet for the ongoing state counseling process.

Presiding over the case, Justice Nirzar S. Desai emphasized the importance of correcting genuine clerical or mathematical errors, noting that such mistakes should not cost a candidate their career. The court exercised its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, directing the concerned authorities to amend the error and allow Mr. Modi to participate in the admission process.

The judgment highlighted that the admission process rules aim to maintain transparency and integrity but should also accommodate genuine errors to uphold fairness. The court clarified that while Mr. Modi's participation in the counseling does not guarantee admission, it ensures that his career prospects are not unfairly impacted by a minor error.

The respondents, including the State of Gujarat and NEET-PG admission authorities, were instructed to permit the correction of the aggregate percentage in Mr. Modi's application from 67.63% to 68.30%. This correction is to be reflected in all official records, allowing him to partake in the ongoing admission process.

The court set a deadline of November 24, 2025, for the implementation of these corrections and also ordered Mr. Modi to bear certain costs towards the legal process. This decision reinforces the judiciary's commitment to protecting the rights of students and ensuring equitable access to education opportunities.

Bottom Line:

Clerical or inadvertent mathematical errors in application forms should not jeopardize a candidate's career. Courts can exercise powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to allow corrections and enable participation in admission processes.

Statutory provision(s): Article 226 of the Constitution of India

Ronil Umeshkumar Modi v. State of Gujarat, (Gujarat) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2812030