Madras HC orders notice to Centre on plea to declare CET void

CHENNAI : The Madras High Court has ordered issuance of notice to the Centre on a petition seeking to declare the Common Entrance Test held by the Indian Maritime University as null and void.

The CET, conducted on June 8, was for the academic year 2024-2025 with respect to three courses and the petitioner sought the test to be declared null and void for not having provided proper information on the test, and for not framing proper guidelines and norms for the examination.

Justice Anita Sumanth also ordered notice to the Directorate General of Shipping and Indian Maritime University on the petition filed by S Sidharth, represented by his father.

The CET was not conducted by Directorate General of Shipping but a private agency without transparency resulting in frustration to eligible candidates, he said, adding that there is no mechanism to verify the correctness of the mark awarded.

The petitioner said that when the educational qualification for admission to the institution is 60% aggregate marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and 50% in English, a cut-off was set for admission. It is nothing but preventing the eligible candidates from joining, he claimed.

He sought the court to declare null and void the CET held for admission to B.Tech (Marine Engineering), B.Sc (Nautical Science and Diploma in Nautical Science) for 2024-25.

BCI urged to move SC

Chennai: Saying that the implementation of three new criminal laws without consulting stakeholders has led to various difficulties, Bar Council of TN and Puducherry president PS Amalraj has urged the Bar Council of India to consider approaching the apex court to challenge the laws. “BCI will organise a meeting with office-bearers of all state Bar Councils and lawyer associations to discuss the steps,” he said.