The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the closure of FIRs registered across the country in connection with student protests over the NEET-UG paper leak issue held between July 20 and 25.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana ordered that the FIRs should not be pursued or investigated further and shall be treated as closed for all purposes.
The Court also quashed FIRs relating to student protests referred to in applications filed by the Centre, Delhi Police, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Assam. Extending the relief nationwide, the Bench directed that no State or Union Territory shall register any fresh FIR in connection with protest incidents that took place between July 20 and 25.
The Supreme Court said the order was passed keeping in view the future of students who had participated in the protests bona fide. At the same time, the Court made it clear that the order was being passed in light of the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case and would not constitute a precedent.
Exception for Protesters with Serious Criminal Antecedents
The Court, however, permitted the Delhi Police to proceed with one FIR concerning 2,873 individuals who were present during the protests at Jantar Mantar, observing that the persons concerned had serious criminal antecedents.
The Bench invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to issue the directions.
Centre to Formulate Compensation Policy
During the hearing, the Bench also recorded a statement made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that the government would formulate a policy for providing compensation to the families of students who died by suicide following the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026.
According to the statement recorded by the Court, the policy will be formulated within three months.
Proposed Delhi Protest Withdrawn
The Bench further recorded a statement by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) regarding the withdrawal of its proposed protest march in Delhi scheduled for September 5.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das informed the Court that the decision to withdraw the proposed protest was taken in view of the steps initiated by the Centre towards withdrawing cases registered against protesters.
The government subsequently welcomed the decision to call off the September 5 protest.
Speaking to the media in New Delhi, Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda assured that cases registered against protesting students would be withdrawn and that no harsh action would be taken against them in the future.
Nadda said the Centre had also consulted the BJP-ruled State governments and was taking steps to fulfil the assurance. He added that the government’s priority was to ensure the progress and development of the country’s youth.
The Supreme Court’s directions provide nationwide relief to students facing criminal proceedings arising out of the specified protest incidents, while maintaining an exception for the separate FIR involving persons identified as having serious criminal antecedents.
