In a significant blow to the Kerala Government, the High Court on Wednesday (July 9) ordered the cancellation of the KEAM 2025 rank list, holding that altering the exam prospectus at the final stage was arbitrary and unjust.

Justice D.K. Singh ruled that the rank list published under the amended prospectus (Exhibit P6) be set aside, and a fresh list be issued in line with the original prospectus (Exhibit P2).

The KEAM entrance exam, conducted by the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations between April 23 and April 29, 2025, saw results declared on May 14. The rank list (Exhibit P5) was subsequently released on July 1. However, on the same day, the State of Kerala issued a government order modifying the original prospectus. This amendment changed the subject weightage ratio from 1:1:1 to 5:3:2 for Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, and also withdrew the additional weightage given to students from CBSE and ICSE boards.

Challenging the move, the petitioner argued in WP(C) No. 24767/2025, titled Hana Fatima Ahinus v. State of Kerala, that the sudden change was both arbitrary and discriminatory.

The court agreed, stating that such retrospective modifications in the admission process undermine transparency and fairness, especially when students have already appeared for the examination based on pre-announced criteria.