The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) to cancel the PG entrance examination conducted in centres in Kerala on August 18 and hold a fresh examination for the candidates in Kerala.
Justice A. Muhammed Mustaque issued the directive on a writ petition filed by Amal C.T. from Alappuzha and Adarsh K.C. from Kannur. They had applied for the PG programme. According to them, they could not take part in the examination due to the flood situation in the State.
The court noted that the State was reeling under unprecedented floods during the time. It appeared that the ICAR could not heed to the request of the petitioners and other candidates for postponement of the examination for the reason that the examination had already been delayed.
The court observed that the ICAR ought to have taken note of the factual circumstances in which the students of the State were placed. It might be true that nearly 57% of the students were able to appear for the PG entrance examination. But that itself was not a decisive factor. It was not possible for any person to travel from one place to another place due to the flood situation in the State.
The duty, therefore, in such circumstances was to bestow wisdom to protect public interest. Discharge of that duty could not be overlooked while considering the request of the students. The failure to exercise the duty would certainly warrant interference from the court.