Karnataka High Court Dismisses Petition for Category Change in NEET-PG Post Results
Dr. C. Anusha's plea to amend category from General Merit to OBC rejected; Court upholds correction window policy.
In a significant ruling, the Karnataka High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Dr. C. Anusha, a candidate who appeared for the NEET-PG 2025 examinations, seeking to change her examination category from General Merit to Other Backward Classes (OBC) after the declaration of results. The decision, delivered by the Division Bench comprising Mr. D K Singh and Mr. Venkatesh Naik T, underscores the importance of adhering to the stipulated correction window for application forms in competitive examinations.
The petitioner, Dr. C. Anusha, had applied under the General Merit category for the NEET-PG 2025 and sought to amend her category post-result declaration on 19th August 2025. The plea was filed on 8th September 2025 with the aim of being considered under the Nekar Community within the OBC category. Despite referencing past judgments that allowed for category corrections under specific circumstances, the Bench held that her case differed significantly as it involved a post-result amendment request.
The court highlighted that a designated correction window was provided from 9th March 2025 to 11th March 2025, allowing candidates to rectify any errors in their application forms. The petitioner, however, did not utilize this opportunity. It was argued by the respondents, represented by Sri Shanthi Bhushan, DSGI, and others, that allowing changes post-result would disrupt the examination's integrity and fairness.
The judgment also referenced a similar case adjudicated by the Madras High Court, where a candidate's request to change category after results was rejected. The Supreme Court had subsequently dismissed the Special Leave Petition against that judgment, reinforcing the legal precedent.
Dr. Anusha’s counsel, Sri Vinay Kuttappa K.S., invoked previous Karnataka High Court judgments to support her case, but the court distinguished those instances based on their facts. The Bench emphasized that the judgments cited by the petitioner were not applicable as they involved pre-result correction requests, unlike her post-result amendment plea.
Ultimately, the Karnataka High Court ruled against Dr. Anusha's petition, stating that permitting category changes after results would undermine the established process and fairness of the NEET-PG examination. The court’s decision reinforces the importance of adhering to procedural rules and deadlines in competitive examinations, ensuring an equitable process for all candidates.
Bottom Line:
A candidate cannot seek to change their category in the NEET-PG application form after the result has been announced, especially when there was a specific window provided for correction prior to the announcement of results.
Statutory provision(s): NEET-PG Examination regulations, window for application form correction provisions.
