(Per: Arindam Sinha, J.)

1. Petitioner sat for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG - 2026. He has challenged answer keys against question numbers 60 and 70. Basis of the challenge is, those questions were earlier put in Joint Entrance Examination (Mains) of 2019 and 2022. The answer keys given from the JEE test are different. Petitioner gave those answers, said to be incorrect. The disputed and corresponding questions respectively from NEET-UG-2026 and JEE Mains, 2019 are reproduced below."

In NEET-UG-2026 (pages 25 and 40)

60. 2A →^kB is a zero-order reaction, where k = 1.0 mol L^-2 min^-1. If the initial concentration of A is 2 M, then the time taken to complete 75% ofthe reaction will be

(1) 1.5 min

(2) 0.75 min

(3) 1.0 min

(4 ) 2.0 min

70. Given below are two statements: One is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R.

Assertion A: The first ionization enthalpy of O is lower than that of N and F.

Reason R: The loss of an electron from O leads to stable half-filled p orbital.

In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

(1) Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A.

(2) Both A and R are correct and R is NOT the correct explanation of A.

(3) A is correct but R is not correct. (4) A is not correct but R is correct.

In JEE Mains, 2019 (page-36)

115. The reaction 2X→B is a zeroth order reaction. If the initial concentration of X is 0.2 M, the half-life is 6 h. When the initial concentration of X is 0.5 M, the time required to reach its final concentration of 0.2 M will be:

(a) 9.0h (b) 12.0h (c) 18.0h (d) 7.2h

In JEE Mains, 2022 (page-43)

70. Given below are two statements. One is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R.

Assertion A: The first ionization enthalpy for oxygen is lower than that of nitrogen.

Reason R: The four electrons in 2p orbitals of oxygen experience more electron-electron repulsion.

In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below.

(a) Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A.

(b) Both A and R are correct but R is NOT the correct explanation of A (c) A is correct but R is not correct.

(d) A is not correct but R is correct."

Mr. Brijesh Kumar Yadav, learned advocate appears for petitioner. He had moved the petition on 10th September, 2026.

2. Mr. Aditiya Kumar Singh, learned advocate appears for respondent no. 1 (UoI). Mr. Fuzail Ahmad Ansari, learned advocate appears for respondent no. 2 (National Testing Agency/NTA). Mr. Raj Mohan Upadhyay, learned advocate, Additional Chief Standing Counsel appears for State. Mrs. Akansha Sharma, learned advocate appears for respondent no. 4 (the counseling authority). Mr. Abhijeet Chatterjee, learned advocate holding the brief appears for respondent no. 5 (the University).Mr. Vivek Kumar Singh, learned advocate appears for respondent no. 6.

3. We are told, copy has not been served on respondent no. 7 (the Medical Counseling Committee). We are not inclined to direct issuance of notice to said respondent because respondent no. 4 (the counseling authority concerned) is represented before us.

4. On query Mr. Brijesh Kumar Yadav submits, it may well be that his client is the only person, who has challenged the answer keys as incorrect. That does not mean the Court will not exercise its extraordinary power to refer the questions and the answer options to the expert for adjudicating on the dispute. He relies on judgment of the Supreme in Vanshika Yadav vs. Union of India reported in 2024 (9) SCC 743, inter-alia, paragraph 20 (Lawsuit print). The paragraph is reproduced below.

"20. On 22 July 2024, counsel for one of the petitioners advanced submissions inter alia on whether the approach adopted by NTA towards one of the questions in the examination was proper. The contours of this issue are delineated in detail in subsequent segments of this judgment. As one of the sub-i