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Divjot Sekhon v. State of Punjab

Not available · 2026 INSC 26Decided 6 Jan 2026
Not available
Justice Sanjay Kumar · Justice Alok Aradhe

Background

A last-minute change to MBBS sports-quota admission criteria, expanding eligible achievement years, was pushed through by a coach's representation that didn't disclose his own daughter would directly benefit, bumping two genuine top applicants out of government seats.

Decision Breakdown

The Supreme Court held admission criteria cannot be changed midstream once the process has begun, and a policy shift tainted by an undisclosed conflict of interest cannot stand; it quashed the changed criteria and ordered the displaced candidates swapped into the government seats.

Lesson Learnt

Admission or selection criteria cannot be changed after the process begins, and recommendations influencing government policy must be scrutinized for hidden conflicts of interest.

Official source (sci.gov.in)View Judgment (PDF)

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