"Complete Disregard To Life, Safety And Health Of Students" Doctors Move Supreme Court Challenging Conduct Of INI CET 2021 In June

A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court challenging the conduct of the National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI CET) examination on 16th June 2021 and seeking directions to postpone the exam being conducted for admission to postgraduate courses in leading Government Medical Institutes in the Country including AIIMS, JIPMER and NIMHANS.

The plea filed by India Medical Association, Medical Student Network (Chhattisgarh Chapter) along with 35 serving doctors currently serving in Covid duties has sought directions to postpone the INI CET examination scheduled to be conducted on 16th June 2021 and give at least a month's notice regarding the date of examination to the Petitioners and similarly placed students.

The plea filed through through Advocates Tanvi Dubey and Charu Mathur has sought quashing of Notice dated 27th May 2021 issued by AIIMS, that notified that the INI CET, would be conducted on 16th June.

The petitioners have argued that the impugned Notice is not only arbitrary but has also been issued as an afterthought in complete disregard to the life, safety and health of the students. They have also argued that the conduct of exam goes against the spirit of the Prime Minister's statement issued while postponing NEET.

"An abrupt announcement of the exam dates, when the examinees are under immense mental pressure amounts to a mindless decision taken at the middle of the raging pandemic. The Impugned decision can divert the attention of our front-line warriors away from the arduous task they have in hand and potentially jeopardise our fight against Covid." the plea has said.

The petitioners have argued that the Impugned decision has failed to take into account that many students are currently posted in Covid duties and writing an examination will require them to leave the duty and travelling for doctors posted in rural areas will be a cumbersome process.

The petitioners have stated that the decision to conduct exam has been conveyed merely 18 days in advance and therefore, there is hardly anytime left with them to prepare for the examination.

The petitioners have argued that abrupt announcement of the schedule of the INI CET examination has put them under excessive mental pressure and conducting exam at this stage would severely affect not only the examinees but also other Doctors, and their family members.