NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday extended the time for re-conducting the All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT) 2015 and directed the CBSE to declare the results by August 17.
The court’s order came on a petition by the CBSE seeking extension of time to conduct the AIPMT afresh as it would be impossible to hold the test again in four weeks.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the CBSE, told a Bench of justices R K Agrawal and A M Sapre that four weeks time is insufficient for re-conducting the examination.
“AIPMT would be conducted at around 1,000 centres and since vacation is going on, there is shortage of teachers. CBSE needs time to prepare the question papers again. A large number of schools would be required for the exam. There is shortage of teachers, invigilators and para-military forces,” the AG said. He added that the CBSE needs around seven months time to hold the examinations normally, but that it has sought only three months. On this, the court said, “In the past, everything was done in one month. We are living in an era of technology and everything is possible now.”
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Medical Council of India (MCI), which conducts counselling, requested the CBSE to hold the exam within the period decided by the court.
“We are only concerned with the future of the students. If the deadline is not maintained, only State quota seats would be filled,” he said.
“Work out things together as you are sailing in the same boat. We have got genuine difficulty and we cannot do away with the dispute,” the Bench said.