NEET-MDS : Supreme Court Issues Notice On Plea To Postpone NEET-MDS 2024 Exam & Extend Internship Cut-off Date

The Supreme Court on Friday (February 16) issued notice in a writ petition seeking to reschedule the NEET MDS 2024 which is due on March 18, 2024, and to direct extension of cut-off for eligibility after revising the internship completion dates. 

The bench comprising the CJI DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was informed that the said decision of holding the NEET MDS on the said date was manifestly arbitrary as it was being done without factual ascertainment of the internship completion dates despite the specific direction of the High Court of Telangana in 2023.

In 2023, the Telangana High Court in a writ seeking rescheduling of NEET MDS 2023 disposed of the matter noting “ Before parting with the case we also make it clear from the next academic year the respondent shall take steps to see that all the candidates who have completed MBBS/BDS course across the country a uniform cut off date be fixed and enough care is taken to ensure that sufficient time is granted to all the students to prepare for NEET.” 

The basis for filing the current petition emerged when the relevant respondent, the National Board of Examinations (NBE), announced the rescheduling of NEET PG 2024 from March 3rd to July 7th, 2024, setting the cutoff date as August 15, 2024. In contrast, NEET MDS was notified on January 20, 2024, to take place on March 18th, 2024, with an internship completion cutoff date of March 31, 2024. The petitioners allege that the cut-off date is "arbitrary".

Senior Advocate Mr Gonsalves appearing for the petitioners contended that some of the petitioners who have completed the mandatory internship have registered for the NEET-MDS 2024 (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Master in Dental Surgery Course). However many other interns could not register as their date of completion of internship is beyond 31.3.2024.

Mr Gonsalves, pressing for an earlier date of hearing, informed the bench that February 19 is the last date for online submission of the NEET MDS application form for the year 2024.

Seeking the revision of the cut-off date based on parity with the earlier instances, the petitioner in its written submission has highlighted how in 2023, the deadline for completing internships for NEET MDS was officially extended until June 30, 2023. However, the decision to withhold a similar extension for 2024, without verifying the actual internship completion dates, is deemed arbitrary and unsustainable. This contrasts with the approach taken by the National Medical Commission, which assessed internship completion dates before making decisions.

“ It is evident that counselling has always commenced after the internship cut-off date. In 2023 too internship cut-off date was 30.6.2023 for NEET MDS and tentative common counselling for NEET PG and NEET MDS was issued only in August 2023. The internship cut-off for NEET PG 2023 was August 11 2023. Hence, after ascertaining the internship completion dates for 2024 by the National Medical Commission, the cut-off date was fixed as 15th August 2024 and the NEET PG-24 entrance date as 7th July 2024.”

Taking cognizance of the same, the bench agreed to issue notice, however, it was not inclined to grant an interim relief considering “It's only a matter of cut-off.”

The matter will now be tentatively heard on 21.2.24, Wednesday.

Case Details: Aditya Dubey & Others v. Union Of India