The clarification came after the Centre submitted that it was “serious” about not pursuing FIRs against students who participated in the NEET examination paper leak protests, including the July 20 Parliament march in Delhi, provided they did not have criminal antecedents. At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that there was some misconception regarding how to implement the Union government’s commitment to withdraw the FIRs against students. Those who had criminal antecedents… except them, everything can be taken care of,” Mehta said. He said FIRs against more than 2,700 people with antecedents involving grave and heinous offences would not be withdrawn. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi said the expression “criminal antecedents” required clarification, as students could have a traffic violation, petty offences or politically motivated cases against them.