NEET-PG 2022 : Supreme Court To Hear Tomorrow Plea To Extend Internship Deadline; Deferral Of Exam Date To Accommodate Candidates Undergoing 2021-22 Counselling

The Supreme Court will hear tomorrow a writ petition filed by Six MBBS seeking deferment of NEET PG 2022 which is scheduled to be conducted on March 12, 2022 so as to accommodate candidates who are currently undergoing NEET-PG 2021-22 counseling and would want to appear in NEET-PG 2022-23, subject to the seat allocation in NEET PG 2021-2022.

The petitioners have also challenged the conditions provided in the information bulletin with regards to completion of internship till May 31, 2022 and have also sought to extend the deadline for completion of the same.

It has been argued in the petition that the deadline of May 31, 2022, which is provided under Clause 4.1 and 4.2 of the Information Bulletin for NEET-PG 2022, is manifestly arbitrary as it deprives thousands of candidates to apply for the examination.

Referring to the Prime Minister's statement dated May 3, 2021 the petitioners have argued that in furtherance of various circulars issued by the colleges, many final year MBBS candidates had joined as front line workers in CoVID duties.

In this regard, it has been stated that, while the candidates joined for covid duties, neither the National Board of Examination, nor the colleges informed them that serving as covid warriors would delay their2 commencement of internship and could also affect the registration for NEET-PG 2022-23.

"Candidates are suffering without any fault on their part. It is disheartening to note that the candidates are been made to put in such a situation, without any mistake on their part. It is submitted that the candidates in any way did not shred away in contributing in covid duties. They had also put their life at risk, when the country required their assistance. The candidates were not provided with any information, whatsoever, at the time of joining the covid duties that the internship deadline for next year will remain the same and that the same will eventually lead to a situation wherein they will be deprived to even appear in the examination," the petition states.

In the alternative, doctors have also prayed for allowing the candidates who are not completing their internship on or before May 31, 2022 to appear for NEET PG 2022 and permitting them to submit the internship completion certificate after obtaining the same on completion of 1 year mandatory period.

Assailing the NEET PG 2022 schedule, Doctors in the petition have also contended that accommodating two batches in one year is against Clause 12 of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000 as there can be a maximum number of 5 PG seats for the degree per unit per year.

In this regard, MBBS graduates have also sought clarification from the National Board of Examination with regards to the methodology for admission of PG Batches for two years in one session and have sought deferment of the exam until the requirement is met.

It has also been doctors' contention that many candidates appearing in the counseling for NEET-PG 2021 are yet waiting for seat allocation and that due to the clash in the dates of counseling and the date of NEET-PG 2022 examination, they would not be in a position to appear in the examination, even if they wish to. In this backdrop, the petitioners have also sought to defer the date for NEET-PG 2022-23, which is scheduled to be conducted on 12.03.2022 so as to accommodate candidates who are currently undergoing NEET-PG 2021-22 counselling and are aspiring to appear in NEET-PG 2022-23, subject to the seat allocation in NEET-PG 2021-22.

The petitioners also seek a direction to consider the exclusion of the period when the candidate served in COVID duty from one-year internship period, subject to the candidate fulfilling all other requirements set forth regarding eligibility for NEET-PG 2022.

The petitioners are represented by Dubey Law Chambers and the petition has been filed through Advocate Charu Mathur.

Case Title: Shivam Satyarthee and Others v Union of India| WP(C) 68 of 2022