Delhi High Court rejects plea against CAT 2024 results, declines to interfere

The Delhi High Court has rejected a plea questioning the validity of the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2024 results. The petition was filed by Aditya Kumar Mallick, a candidate who appeared for the exam, alleging that an error in the answer key had negatively impacted his performance. Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju, delivering the verdict, stated that there was no reason for the court to interfere with the results.

Mallick’s plea highlighted his concerns regarding the answer key. He argued that the provisional answer key released on December 3 contained mistakes, and despite raising objections, the final answer key was published without changes. He also questioned the early declaration of results on December 19 by IIM Calcutta, the organizing institute, stating that the results were expected in January 2025. According to Mallick, the premature announcement indicated a lack of thorough review.

IIM Calcutta’s defense

Senior advocate Arvind Nayyar, representing IIM Calcutta, defended the institution, arguing that all objections were carefully reviewed by an expert committee before finalizing the answer key and results. He emphasized that the process adhered to established norms and protocols.

Mallick’s claim was supported by feedback from faculty members and experts from various CAT coaching centers. However, the court emphasized that judicial intervention in competitive exams is only warranted in cases of significant errors or specific and compelling circumstances. Justice Ganju noted that the objections had already been addressed, leaving no grounds for further interference.

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CAT 2024 highlights

The CAT 2024 exam saw one female and 13 male candidates scoring a perfect 100 percentile. Despite the controversy surrounding the answer key, IIM Calcutta assured candidates that the evaluation process was transparent and accurate. The court’s decision reaffirmed the institution’s stance, allowing the results to stand as declared.

This ruling underscores the limited scope of judicial review in competitive exams, with courts only stepping in when substantial issues are evident. Mallick’s plea was ultimately dismissed, and the CAT 2024 results remain unchanged.