The court held that a candidate cannot seek an extension for fee payment based on alleged technical glitches if login logs prove successful access and the candidate failed to demonstrate earnest efforts or timely action.

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO ACCEPT THE EXAMINATION FEE OF THE PETITIONER FOR THE ENSUING NEET (UG) 2026 EXAMINATION AND PERMIT THE PETITIONER TO APPEAR FOR THE NEET (UG) 2026 EXAMINATION.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI

and

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH RAI K

ORAL ORDER

(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAYANT BANERJI)

Heard Smt. Lakshmy Iyengar, learned Senior counsel for the petitioner and Sri. H.Shanthi Bhushan, learned DSGI for the respondents.

2. When the matter was listed on 22.04.2026, the following order was passed:

"The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner is required to produce the logs of the website portal pertaining to the petitioner inasmuch as it is alleged in the writ petition that repeated attempts were made on 11.03.2026 to make payment of the fee, but due to buffering in the portal, no payment could be made.

It is also stated that once the payment of fee was debited from the concerned account, but it was reverted on the next morning.

The learned Counsel appearing for the respondents may also duly file the documents produced today.

On the request of Sri. H. Shanti Bhushan, learned Deputy Solicitor General of India, appearing for the respondents, the matter is adjourned, to be listed again on 23.04.2026."

3. Pursuant to the previous order of the Court, learned counsel for the respondents has filed a memo enclosing judgments as well as the respondent website log details in respect of the petitioner.

4. The instant writ petition is filed seeking the following reliefs:

(a) "Issue a Writ of mandamus directing the respondents to accept the examination fee of the petitioner for the ensuing NEET (UG) 2026 examination and permit the petitioner to appear for the NEET (UG) 2026 examination.

(b) Pass any order or directions as this Hon'ble Court deems fit in the circumstances of the case."

5. It is evident from the public notice dated 08.02.2026 that online submission of application forms for NEET (UG) 2026 were permitted between 08.02.2026 to 08.03.2026 and the last date for successful transaction of fee through online mode was 08.03.2026 up to 11:50 p.m.

6. By a subsequent public notice dated 08.03.2026, the last date for submission of online application form for the NEET (UG) 2026 was extended upto 11.03.2026 till 09:00 p.m. and the payment of fee could be made upto 11:50 p.m. on 11.03.2026 with the stipulation that no further extension would be granted.

7. On 22.04.2026, when the matter was taken up, it was argued by learned Senior counsel for the petitioner that repeated attempts were made to login on the web portal of the respondent No.1 unsuccessfully, since the buffering was taking place, which prevented the petitioner from making the payment or uploading the forms. It was also orally stated that the mother of the petitioner was running from pillar to post for obtaining the caste certificate of the petitioner, which caused the delay in uploading the application and documents. Therefore, sympathy of the Court is sought to be invoked for enabling the petitioner to submit her fees.

8. Today, in the memo filed by the learned Deputy Solicitor General of India, DSGI, the login details are filed purportedly showing successful login by the petitioner into the portal of the website of respondent No.1. It reflects that the registration form and the doc