The Delhi High Court has refused grant relief to a student who missed the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) by six minutes outlining the “sanctity and discipline” of examinations.

The 18-year-old candidate claimed on May 13 she reached the exam center at around 8.36 am – six minutes beyond the scheduled time of the test – due to which she was denied entry.

The court observed that the information bulletin of the National Testing Authority and the admit card gave very specific instructions on reaching the centre at around 7 am, two hours prior to the commencement of the examination, as gates would shut at around 8.30 am.

It said leniency in the conduct of such a large-scale examination would lead to chaos and “discipline of the examination ought to be maintained”.

“The CUET is an important entrance examination and the discipline in arriving at the examination hall in time, taking the seat in time and being at the center before the gate closing time, are all part of the discipline and ethos of the examination ecosystem which ought not to be relaxed, inasmuch as, the same may lead to huge inequities between similarly placed students,” the court held on May 31.

The court dismissing her appeal said, “One might feel that it was only a matter of six minutes, but the authorities could not be blamed for enforcing the rule of gate closing timings strictly and discrimination was not a valid ground to interfere.”

“The CUET UG examination is an exam where more than 13.54 lacs students from across the country appear. If exceptions are made, and discipline is not followed in such an exam, the timely conduct of the exam, the timely announcement of results and timely admission to colleges and Universities is all likely to be jeopardised and there would be a cascading effect,” the court said.