- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21909-DB WP No. 17615 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 24TH DAY OF JUNE, 2025 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN AND THE HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE K.MANMADHA RAO WRIT PETITION NO.17615 OF 2025 (EDN-RES) BETWEEN: TARUN P S/O OF PERUMAL P. AGED ABOUT 18, R/A NO. 16, 2ND CROSS, RAJSREE LAYOUT, MUNEKULALU, MARATHALLI BENGALURU-560037. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. RAJESWARA.P.N., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. UNION OF INDIA BY MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION, 127-C, SHASTRI BHAWAN, NEW DELHI REP. BY ITS SECRETARY. 2. NATIONAL TESTING AGENCY (DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION, MINISTER OF EDUCATION, GOI) 1ST FLOOR, NSIC-MDBP BUILDING, OKHLA INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, PHASE III, NEW DELHI-110020. Digitally signed by VIJAYALAKSHMI B N Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21909-DB WP No. 17615 of 2025 REPRESENTED BY ITS DIRECTOR. EMAIL ID-jeemain@nta.ac.in 3. JOINT SEAT ALLOCATION AUTHORITY REPRESENTED BY ITS CHAIRPERSON, LOCAL ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE, CSAB-2025 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ROURKELA ODISHA-769008, INDIA. EMAIL ID - josaa@iitk.ac.in 4. NATIONAL CYBER FORENSIC LAB, OFFICE AT 5TH FLOOR, NDCC IIND BUILDING, JAI-SINGH ROAD, NEW-DELHI-110001. REPRESENTED BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR. 5. VISHVESWARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, BELGAVI, JNANA SANGAMA, VTU MAIN ROAD, MACHE BELAGAVI-590018 REPRESENTED BY ITS VICE-CHANCELLOR. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. H.SHANTHI BHUSHAN, DSGI A/W SRI. B. PRAMOD, CGC FOR R-1) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING A RESPONDENTS TO CONSIDER THE PETITIONER’S SCORE AS 98.048690 PERCENTILE AND HIS COMMON RANKING LIST AS 23,512 AND SC RANK 2568 AT ANNEXURE-E AND ACCORDINGLY ALLOW HIM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNSELLING AND TO SECURE ADMISSION FOR ANY OF THE INSTITUTIONS FOR WHICH THE 3RD RESPONDENT IS SEAT ALLOTING AUTHORITY AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21909-DB WP No. 17615 of 2025 CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN and HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE K.MANMADHA RAO ORAL JUDGMENT (PER: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN) 1. This writ petition is filed seeking directions to respondents to consider the petitioner’s score as 98.0489690 percentile and his common ranking list as 23,512 and SC Rank 2568 at Annexure-E and accordingly allow him to participate in the counseling. 2. It is submitted by learned counsel for the petitioner that the writ petitioner had attended the JEE (Main) examination, 2025. It is stated that result of the JEE (Main) examination, 2025 was published on 18.04.2025. The petitioner contends that he had accessed and downloaded his score sheet on 19.04.2025 and that as per the score sheet downloaded by him which is produced as Annexure-E, he had scored 98.0489690 percentile. However, it is submitted that he did not get any allotment in the counseling inspite of his high score and when he - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21909-DB WP No. 17615 of 2025 entered the second respondent’s Website, he was re-directed to the JEE result portal and he found that the score reflected was only 86.0489690 percentile. The score sheet as available in the Website is produced as Annexure-F. It is submitted that he had raised this issue before the respondents, but was given a reply stating that the score sheet – Annexure-E which he had relied on, was a forged one. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner contended that he was certain that he had answered the questions correctly and that his actual score is as reflected in Annexure-E and not at Annexure-F. He also prayed for conduct of an investigation by the fourth respondent – National Cyber Forensic Lab to find out as to how the mistake had occurred. 4. Learned Deputy Solicitor General of India, appearing for the respondents had obtained instructions in the - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21909-DB WP No. 17615 of 2025 matter and had placed the instructions obtained by him for our perusal. 5. It is specifically stated that the petitioner had appeared for the JEE examination in 2025 and the result of Session-I which was declared on 11.02.2025 showed that the percentile obtained by the petitioner was 73.0973409 percentile and the final result in the Session-II published on 18.04.2024 would show that he had obtained 86.0489690 percentile. It is submitted that the final result showing percentile of 86.0489690 was communicated to the candidate though E-mail on 19.04.2024 to his registered E-mail ID that is tarun10307@gmail.com, as well as, to his alternate E-mail ID that is 74run164@gmail.com. 6. It is stated that no complaint had been raised immediately thereafter, but the candidate had sent a representation to the N.T.A on 10.06.2025 at 6.00 pm and on 13.06.2025 at 8.26 pm stating that there was - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21909-DB WP No. 17615 of 2025 discrepancy in the final score card of JEE (Main) examination. It was after making all necessary verifications that a response had been sent by E-mail on 17.06.2025 stating that there was no such discrepancy. It is further submitted as follows; “9. It is submitted that the contention/claim made by Mr. Tarun P in his aforesaid Writ Petition that he has secured 98.0489690 percentile and CRL 23512 is false/baseless and therefore, the same is denied. 10. It is submitted that as per record of NTA, the Petitioner/Candidate (Mr. Tarun P) was awarded the score of 86.0489690 percentile in Session 2 of JEE (Main) 2025, which is also his Final NTA Score (as per the scheme of the examination as mentioned at para 6 above as well as in the final Score Card issued to him on 18.04.2025). 11. It is submitted that the CRL 23512 claimed by the Petitioner in his Writ Petition (Annexure-E), has been awarded to another candidate (Yashita Prakash with Application No. 250310191150) having the NTA Score of 98.4779906 percentile. A copy of the final Score Card of Yashita Prakash with Application No. 250310191150. - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21909-DB WP No. 17615 of 2025 12. It is submitted that when the QR Code on the purported Score Card of the Petitioner on which he is relying upon (Annexure-E of the WP) is scanned, his actual Final NTA Score (i.e. 86.0489690 percentile) is being displayed (after filling in the captcha code). It is also submitted that when the QR Code on this purported score card is scanned, the Hash Key (which is an encrypted security key) is displayed, which is the same Hash Key which has been generated for the actual / original score card of the Petitioner (Annexure-F).” 7. The materials in support of the said contention are also produced and placed on record. We have considered the contentions advanced and had given the writ petitioner an opportunity to consider as to whether he wants the fourth respondent to conduct forensic enquiry into the matter and to place the report of such enquiry before this Court. 8. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner seeks to withdraw the writ petition. - 8 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21909-DB WP No. 17615 of 2025 9. Having considered the contentions advanced and taking note of the tender age of the writ petitioner, we permit the motion for withdrawal of the writ petition. The memo is accepted. The writ petition is permitted to be withdrawn. Accordingly, the writ petition is dismissed as withdrawn. 10. We also place on record, the appreciation for the efforts taken by the Deputy Solicitor General of India to make available the entire material before us in support of the contention that all the activities of the candidates in the JEE examinations and on the portals concerned are recorded and that there is very little chance for error. [ GH List No.: 1 Sl No.: 23 Sd/- (ANU SIVARAMAN) JUDGE Sd/- (DR.K.MANMADHA RAO) JUDGE