The Delhi High Court has declined to intervene in the case of an 18-year-old student who was denied entry to the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) after arriving six minutes late at the exam centre.

The court emphasized the importance of maintaining the "sanctity and discipline" of large-scale examinations.

The student had approached the court after being barred from appearing for the exam on May 13, arriving at 8:36 am—six minutes past the 8:30 am gate closure time. A bench comprising Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Rajneesh Kumar Gupta upheld a single judge’s earlier decision refusing relief, noting that the instructions issued by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and stated on the admit card clearly mentioned that candidates were required to report by 7 am and that gates would close at 8:30 am.

Highlighting the scale and significance of the CUET, the court observed that any leniency in enforcing rules could disrupt the entire examination process. “The CUET is a critical examination for undergraduate admissions, and strict adherence to timings is integral to ensuring fairness and order. Relaxing such rules could create inequities among candidates,” the court remarked.

While acknowledging the potential consequences on the student’s academic future, the bench noted that the enforcement of timing rules could not be faulted. “Though it may seem like a minor lapse of six minutes, the authorities acted in accordance with clearly stated rules, and no discrimination was involved,” the court said.

The court underscored that with over 13.5 lakh candidates appearing for CUET across the country, any exception could lead to delays in exam schedules, result declarations, and college admissions. “In such matters, judicial interference should be minimal,” the bench concluded, dismissing the appeal.