Supreme Court stays proceedings in 3 High Courts over alleged NEET-UG 2024 exam paper leak
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has today stayed the proceedings in petitions filed in the Rajasthan, Calcutta, and Bombay High Courts regarding the alleged paper leak in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, which took place on May 5 this year.
A vacation bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti issued the stay order while also issuing notice on a transfer petition filed by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which seeks to transfer these petitions from the High Courts to the Supreme Court.
Initially hesitant to pass such an order, the bench noted that High Courts generally refrain from further involvement once the Supreme Court issues a notice on a transfer petition. However, Advocate Vardhaman Kaushik, representing the NTA, highlighted that the High Courts were continuing to handle the matter despite a similar transfer petition being under consideration last week.
Justice Nath observed that individual cases related to grievances could still be heard by the High Courts. He referred to a recent incident in the Allahabad High Court where a NEET aspirant's petition was dismissed after it was discovered that the petitioner had submitted forged documents.
The counsel for NTA clarified that the transfer was specifically sought for petitions challenging the alleged paper leak. .
The Supreme Court, in agreement, ordered the stay on further proceedings before the High Courts, posting the transfer petitions for hearing on July 8.
In a related development, the Supreme Court also issued notice on several other writ petitions alleging discrepancies in the conduct of NEET-UG 2024 and tagged them with connected matters for hearing on July 8. The Court clarified that it was not staying the counseling process, indicating that the admission process would be subject to the outcome of these petitions.
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Karnataka launches state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): In a significant boost to India’s rapidly expanding space economy, the Karnataka government on Friday launched the country’s first state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology here, officials said.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening India’s capabilities to translate space innovation into scalable commercial outcomes, they said.
The Centre, established by the Government of Karnataka through the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society in collaboration with SIA (Satcom Industry Association India) -India, was inaugurated by Minister for Electronics, IT/BT, and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Priyank Kharge, in the presence of senior officials and industry leaders, officials said.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Kharge said that Karnataka has consistently been at the forefront of India's technology and innovation journey. With the launch of this Centre of Excellence for Space Technology, we are extending that leadership into one of the most strategic sectors of the future.
"Our focus is not just on advancing research, but on creating an ecosystem where innovation can translate into real-world applications, economic growth, and high-quality jobs. This Centre will play a critical role in positioning Karnataka as a key driver of India's space economy," he said.
According to an official statement, the CoE SpaceTech Foundation has been established under a Memorandum of Agreement between KITS and SIA-India to drive research and innovation in space technologies, industry-aligned training, startup incubation and cross-sector applications, it said.
The Centre has also formalised strategic MoUs with multiple industry and academic partners to support research in space biotech and microgravity, enable collaboration, build talent pipelines, and provide startups with training and market access, it added.
