New Delhi: The Supreme Court has sharply questioned the Kerala government’s last-minute changes to the KEAM prospectus, demanding an explanation for the abrupt alteration in the rank list formula just before the admission process. While hearing petitions filed by Kerala state syllabus students, the Court emphasized that prospectus rules must be strictly followed and asked whether the state plans to file a formal appeal.
A two-judge bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and Atul S. Chandurkar postponed further hearing to July 16, stating that it was willing to hear the government’s stance—with or without a formal appeal.
The case revolves around a controversial mark normalization formula that, according to petitioners, unfairly favors CBSE students over those from the Kerala state syllabus. Arguing on behalf of the state board students, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan said the change aimed to correct systemic imbalance in the rank list caused by inflated CBSE scores. He defended the modification as necessary and data-driven, backed by an expert committee report.
The petitioners claimed the updated formula does not impact exam preparation but ensures equity in ranking. However, a group of CBSE students has filed a counter-petition, demanding their voices be heard before any final ruling.
The Supreme Court observed that while the intent behind the policy may be valid, the manner of its implementation raises concerns. The bench made it clear it doesn’t plan to halt the admission process, but it expects the Kerala government to justify its position during the next hearing.
With over a lakh students impacted, the verdict on this issue could have significant consequences for engineering admissions in the state.
