NEET-SS 2021- 'What Is The Hurry In Changing Pattern?Have Some Concern For Students', Supreme Court To NBE [LIVE UPDATES FROM HEARING]

Bhushan : If this(seats lying vacant) was reason, they could have reverted to the 2017 system, where every one used to sit in their own specialty and general medicine category was eligible to 13 super specialty.

Bhushan : The only reason they say for the changes is that to prevent seats from lying vacant. According to my information, these changes which remain vacant are only from private colleges, which charge huge capitation fee. These seats are remaining vacant only because very few people can meet the huge capitation fee.

Bhushan : The 2019 Act has transitory provisions. It says that previous educational standards will operate till the authorities under the new Act notify the new changes. So, the 2018 syllabus will continue till the PG Medical Education Board approves the new changes after consulting with the Expert Committees. This has not been done.

Bhushan : No expert opinion has been taken. The PG Board has not applied itself to these changes. But the Govt of India goes ahead and notifies these changes, which have very vital impact on the students.

Bhushan reads out from the affidavit of NBE. They say that revised bulletin was approved by NMC and the Ministry of Health.

Bhushan says that the Advisory Committees have not been constituted as per the National Medical Commission Act 2019.

Bhushan now refers to Section 61 of the National Medical Commission Act 2019. It says that till changes are made by the new authorities under the 2019 Act, the existing scheme should continue.  Section 16 refers to constitution of PG Medical Education Board as an autonomous body.  Section 20 says each autonomous board shall be assisted by such advisory committee of experts as may be constituted. Section 25 refers to PG Medical Education Board's functions and powers.

To determine the standards of PG education and Super Specialty education is the function of PG Medical Education Board. This includes entrance examination as well, adds Bhushan.

Bhushan : After the 2018, you were entitled to apply only for two Super Specialty courses. And 40% questions from the feeder category and 60% questions from the super specialty. Now, it is 100% questions from general medicine, which is one of the feeder courses of MD.

Now Prashant Bhushan starts arguments for the petitioner in the case "Abhishek Tiwari v Union of India".

Divan : The basic principle is, you have to give well advance notice to the students.  There must be an adequate lead up time. Once the process has begun, you cannot change the rules in the middle. These are not exams with few weeks of preparations. People have been invested in this for years and have been doing preparations and research with the bona fide belief that the 60% questions from super specialty won't be changed.