Plea Seeking Extension Of Application Date For NEET PG 2021: Delhi HC Directs Centre, National Board Of Examinations To Consider Grievance

Dealing with a plea seeking extension of date of application for registeration to appear in NEET PG 2021 examination, the Delhi High Court has directed the Centre as well as the National Board of Examinations to consider whether the date for completion of internships by the candidates is also liable to be extended. 

A single judge bench comprising of Justice Prateek Jalan directed the Centre to coordinate with the relevant agencies and take a decision on the said aspect before next date of hearing i.e. 12 August.

Moved by Siddharth Mittal, a student who successfully cleared all the semester examinations pursuant to admission in MBBS course in 2015, the plea states that the examination which was scheduled to be held on 18th April 2021 was later scheduled for 11 September 2021 vide a notification issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. 

However, the plea submits that the cut-off date for completion of internship was still 30th June 2021 owing to which the students who, due to postponement of NEET PG exam, will now be able to complete the internship before declaration of NEET-PG results and therefore, would become eligible for the NEET PG 2021.

The petitioner student therefore submits that he was earlier unable to fill the application form due to non completion of internship before declaration of result or starting of admission process, however would now be eligible to appear in the examination.

According to the plea, various representations were made by the Petitioner to the respondent authorities stating that him and other similarly situated students who became eligible later must be allowed to submit online application form on the portal and that the same may be reopened. 

"That the Petitioner along with several other students who have now completed their internship or are likely to complete their internship by 30.09.2021 only whereafter the admission/counselling process can commence now, will have to wait unnecessarily, God knows till when, for appearing in the NEET-PG examination, even though they have now become eligible for admission to the PG course and the admission test for the- same i.e. NEET-PG 2021 is yet to take place." The plea reads.

The plea has been moved through Advocates RK Saini and Ankit Singh.

The following prayers are sought in the petition:

- A Writ of Certiorari calling for the records of the case and peruse the same.

- Quashing the action of the Respondents in not accepting the representations of the Petitioner for extending the date of application for registration for appearance in NEET-PG 2021, on account of peculiar facts and extraordinary circumstances, despite the fact that on account of the same the Respondents themselves extended the date of examination and particularly in view of the fact that the examination has not been held so far, being illegal, arbitrary, discriminatory, unjust and in violation of the principles of equity, justice and good conscience and Article 41 of the Constitution of India.

- Consequently, a writ of mandamus, directing the Respondents to fix a new date for applying for registration for the NEET-PG 2021 examination for candidates like the Petitioner who are completing their internship by 30th September 2021.

- A Writ of Mandamus commanding the Respondents to pay the costs of this petition to the Petitioner.

Title: SIDDHARTH MITTAL v. UNION OF INDIA & ANR.

Click Here To Read Order