Venkateswaran R, v. The Union Of India
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 18.06.2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR.SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE G.ARUL MURUGAN and WMP No.24995 of 2026 Venkateswaran R .. Petitioner -vs1.
The Union of India, Rep. By its Secretary, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi 110 001.
2.
National Testing Agency (NTA), Rep. By its Director General, First Floor, NSIC-MDBP Building, Okhla Industrial Estate, New Delhi 110 020.
.. Respondents Prayer: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to formulate a comprehensive standard operating procedure to ensure a fair, uniform, transparent and uninterrupted environment for the students, while conducting of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Under Graduate (NEET-UG) Examination, specifically ensuring students get the prescribed time to writ the examination, across all examination centres.
For Petitioner :
Mr.Venkateswaran R.
Party-in-person
For Respondents :
Mr.AR.L.Sundaresan Addl. Solicitor General of India, Asst. by Mr.K.Srinivasamurthy, SPCCG, for R-1.
:
M/s.Sunita Kumar Stdg. Counsel for R-2 * * * * *
ORDER
(Order of the Court was made by the Hon'ble Chief Justice) This petition styled as Public Interest Litigation has been filed for the following relief:
"To issue Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to formulate a comprehensive standard operating procedure to ensure a fair, uniform, transparent and uninterrupted environment for the students, while conducting of the National Eligibility cum Entrance TestUnder Graduate (NEET-UG) Examination, specifically ensuring students get the prescribed time to writ the examination, across all examination centres."
2. From the prayer itself, it can be seen that the petitioner is asking for a direction to formulate a comprehensive standard operating procedure to ensure a fair, uniform, transparent and uninterrupted environment for the students, while conducting of the
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Under Graduate (NEET-UG) Examination.
3. The very same issue is already pending with the Hon'ble Supreme Court in W.P. (Civil) No.651 of 2026, wherein the Hon'ble Supreme Court, vide order dated 29.05.2026, has entertained the petition and passed the following order:
" We direct the Union of India to file an affidavit indicating how and in which manner the process of conducting and concluding the NEET examination, year after year, would be done. The affidavit shall indicate the method by which regulating and supervising authorities of NEET examination can develop and retain institutional memory so that they can act on the basis of the experience, data and information they have gathered and processed with each examination cycle. The endeavour must be to ensure that the National Testing Agency has the wherewithal, physical and intellectual, to prevent incidents such as the 2024 or 2026 examinations from occurring in the future." Moreover, the Apex Court in the case of Vanshika Yadav vs. Union of India, (2024) 9 SCC 743, has already issued directions to the respondents to formulate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in respect of NEET-UG examination. Therefore, the Hon'ble Supreme Court is already seized of the issue raised in this writ petition.
In view of the aforesaid, we are not inclined to entertain this writ petition. Accordingly, the same is dismissed. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, the interim application stands closed. (SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CJ.) (G.ARUL MURUGAN, J.) 18.06.2026 Index : Yes/No : Yes/No sra To 1.
The Secretary , Union of India, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi 110 001.
2.
The Director General , National Testing Agency (NTA), First Floor, NSIC-MDBP Building, Okhla Industrial Estate, New Delhi 110 020.
THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE AND G.ARUL MURUGAN, J.
(sra) 18.06.2026