NEET-SS : Supreme Court Seeks Union, NMC Response On Plea Challenging Decision To Not Hold NEET-Super Specialty Exam In 2024

The Supreme Court today (July 19) issued notice on a petition challenging the decision of the National Medical Commission(NMC) to not hold the NEET- Super Speciality Exam (NEET-SS) for 2024.

The petition was filed by thirteen doctors under Article 32 of the Constitution.

The bench of CJI DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra noted that due to this decision of the NMC, there would not NEET-SS exam for students this year at all. The Court issued notice to the Union Government, the Medical Counselling Committee and the NMC.

It also allowed the petitioner to add the National Board of Examination as a party respondent.

Initially, the CJI asked why the petitioner had approached directly to the Top Court under Article 32 Petition.

The Counsel explained that the exam is conducted annually according to a fixed timeline, as per the previous Supreme Court judgment in Ashish Ranjan v. Union of India. In Ashish Ranjan, the Court had laid down a timeline schedule to be followed for completing admissions to medical colleges.

"Your Lordship this is an examination conducted every year as per My Lord's judgement in Ashish Ranjan, there is a fixed timeline which is prescribed."

Reading from the minutes of the meetings of the NMC's decision, the Counsel for the petitioner explained that the reason for not conducting the NEET-SS 2024 exam stems from the delayed admissions for MD, MS, and DMB courses through NEET-PG exam in the 2021 academic year. Due to COVID-19, these admissions were held from January to May 2022, pushing the course completion to January 2025. The NMC decided to postpone the NEET-SS 2024 exam to accommodate these students.

"Their decision is in order to accommodate those students of NEET-PG to sit for this examination, they are not conducting an examination this year."

The minutes of the meeting as read by the Counsel stated :

"Regarding NEET-SS 2024 it was decided that admissions for academic year 2021 in MD, MS and DMB Courses were held in January to May 2022. Therefore NEET-SS 2024 may not be conducted in the current year. However, that bit of conducting NEET-SS 2024 in the year 2024 will be decided later."

The matter will now be heard on July 26

Case Details RAHUL BALWAN VS. UNION OF INDIA DIARY NO. - 29216/2024