New Delhi-The Supreme Court of India dismissed a plea that had been filed against the government's decision to cancel the UGC-NET 2024 exam.

The decision was taken by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. The bench noted that the examination, which was initially held on June 18 and then canceled on June 19, has been rescheduled for August 21.

The court further said that since nearly two months have passed since the cancellation, "entertaining the plea now would disrupt the process."

"The exam is now scheduled on August 21, and any interference at this point would only add to the uncertainty. The plea challenges the cancellation, but we must consider the broader implications. Nine lakh candidates are set to appear for the exam on August 21. At this late stage, the cancellation cannot be contested," the bench said.

The Supreme Court also noted that the government's decision to cancel the exam due to the alleged leak of a question paper was "prudent."

The court said, "The Central government acted prudently in canceling the examination following the alleged leaks, especially in light of previous incidents like the NEET-UG fiasco."