By Kavita Mistry 
The Madras High Court has ordered a pause in the declaration of the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2025 results, after some students filed a plea complaining of a power cut in one of the exam centres in Chennai.
Thirteen students had filed a petition in the High Court, alleging there were disturbances caused due to the power outage at Kendriya Vidyalaya in the Avadi area. They also said that no extra time was given to the students by the invigilators to complete the exams.
One of the aggrieved students, in the plea, highlighted the lack of backup facilities such as generators or inverters at the exam centre. Due to a power outage, students were forced to write the exam under poor lighting conditions, the plea said.
The student said that heavy rain led to water entering the exam hall, further disrupting the process and forcing students to shift from their assigned seats.
“The power outage caused mental distress, heat exhaustion and created grossly unequal examination conditions compared to other centres,” the student said in the plea.
She alleged that no extra time was given to finish the exam despite all these disturbances. “This places the petitioners who wrote examination at this centre at a clear disadvantage compared to others across the country,” she said.
The exam was held between 3 pm to 4.15 pm on May 4, and results are expected to be declared by June 14. The Madras High Court will again hear the matter on June 2.
The petitioners contended that they were subjected to grossly unequal examination conditions compared to candidates at other centres, violating Article 14 of the Constitution. Also, rights under Article 21 (Protection of life, liberty) had also been infringed.
SIMILAR ORDER BY MADHYA PRADESH HIGH COURT
Earlier, the Madhya Pradesh High Court had also paused the declaration of the NEET-UG 2025 results after a student alleged that her performance was affected due to a power outage at her exam centre in Indore.
The exam for admission to undergraduate courses in medicine was held on May 4, when several parts of Indore faced a power outage due to bad weather.
The court has also issued a notice to the National Testing Agency (NTA), Central Government and Madhya Pradesh West Zone Electricity Distribution Company, which are among the respondents, and sought their reply within four weeks.
The petition is likely to be heard next on June 30.
(with inputs from PTI)