The Supreme Court has directed Centre to put the counselling for NEET-PG on hold until it decides the validity of the Centre’s decision to introduce OBC and EWS reservation in All India Quota (AIQ).
NEET PG counselling for 50 per cent AIQ seats was scheduled to begin today, October 25.
The NEET PG result was earlier declared on September 28, and the individual score card was released on October 9.
The top court was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Centre and Medical Counselling Committee (MCC)’s July 29 notification for providing 27 per cent reservation to Other Backward Class (OBC) and 10 per cent to Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category students in all medical seats that come under the central pool.
The assurance was given by Central government law officer, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) KM Nataraj, after Senior Advocate Arvind Datar mentioned the matter.
Datar told a Bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud that a counselling schedule has been released.
“They have issued a complete schedule starting from 24th and ending on the 29th. That would mean everything is over,” said Datar.
“This notice that you’ve gotten hold of was meant for just the colleges for the purpose of verification of seats,” Nataraj said.
“I have gotten information from the Directorate General of Health Services,” Datar replied.
The Bench then intervened and asked the ASG whether it can have his assurance that counselling will not start.
“Counselling will not start till we decide on the issue. Mr. Natraj, we are taking your word for it,” said Justice Chandrachud.
The Supreme Court is seized of a case challenging the 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and 10% reservation for EWS in all-India Quota seats for postgraduate medical courses.
The petitioners have sought quashing of a July 29 notification issued by the Medical Counselling Committee announcing these reservations in all-India quota seats starting from the current academic session 2021-22.
Following the Supreme Court’s direction, the MCC has released a notification saying NEET-PG counselling process has been postponed until further orders. Meanwhile, NEET-UG result is scheduled to be announced by October 30, however, there has been no official confirmation regarding the NEET-UG result release date 2021 as of now. A record 16.14 lakh candidates had registered for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) this year of which 95 per cent appeared for the exam. The NEET-UG exam was conducted across 3,800 centres. Once released, the candidates can check NEET-UG result at neet.nta.nic.in.
