'Notify NEET Super Specialty Exam Date In 30 Days': Supreme Court Directs NMC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a PIL challenging the cancellation of the NEET Super Specialty (NEET-SS) exam for 2024

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a PIL challenging the cancellation of the NEET Super Specialty (NEET-SS) exam for 2024. The National Medical Commission (NMC) had cancelled the exam. The apex court however, directed NMC to notify the date of exam within 30 days. 

A bench headed by CJI DY Chandrachud refused to interfere with NMC's decision to cancel the NEET-SS examination.

While dictating order, the CJI DY Chandrachud said that the decision of NMC is equitable and cannot be called arbitrary to call for intervention of this court. He further added that the court will go by the academic policy evolved by NMC and thus will not entertain these petitions.

The top court however said that the NMC must take an early decision to hold the NEET-SS 2024 exams as students must have certainty. The court said that the date for conducting the exam should be notified within 30 days and be held as soon as the NEET-PG course of 2021 comes to an end.

The NMC attributed the cancellation to the delayed admissions caused by Covid-19 in 2021. The court was informed that the admissions for MD, MS, and DMB courses through NEET-PG exam in the 2021 academic year were delayed due to the covid induced Pandemic, which have pushed the course completion to January 2025.

Thus, the NMC decided to postpone the NEET-SS 2024 exam to accommodate these students who will be passing out in January 2025.

The petitioners however contended that only 40% of the students who join the Super Speciality course are from the immediately preceding PG batch and thus the decision by NMC to not hold NEET-SS this year was arbitrary, as it deprives the remaining 60% of students of their opportunity.

The three judge bench also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra observed that the petitioners, who have appeared in the NEET-SS before, would not be prejudiced if the exam is deferred to next year. But, if the exam is held this year, then the 2021 Post-Graduate batch students would lose their chance.

 

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