NEET-SS : Supreme Court Expresses Concerns About Vacancies In Super Speciality Seats, Asks Union Govt To Find A Solution

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Vikram Nath, while hearing a batch of petitions arising out of successful candidates dropping out of such courses, observed in an order passed on April 13:

“The present petition depicts a very sorry picture that 1,003 precious super specialty seats are going to waste, inasmuch as nobody could be admitted on the said seats. On the one hand, we find that there is always a shortage of super specialty doctors and on the other hand these precious seats remain unfilled”

Having made this observation, the bench asked Additional Advocate General Aishwarya Bhati to “impress upon the concerned authorities to find a problem for this solution”. It also noted that according to the submissions made by the law officer, the union government was set to appoint a committee under the chairmanship of the Director-General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to find a solution for the problem. This committee would comprise the representatives of the Indian states, as well as private medical colleges. Noting that the next academic session would begin in July, the bench further requested the law officer to urge the committee to come up with the solution before July. It said:

“The process of admission for the next academic session will start in the month of July, 2023. We, therefore, request the learned Additional Solicitor General of India to impress upon the said proposed committee to come out with a solution, prior to the commencement of the next academic session.”

Allowing the union government to file its status report before the next date of hearing, the bench directed the matter to be listed on Tuesday, July 4.

The petitioners were represented by senior advocate Devadatt Kamat and advocates Lzafeer Ahmad BF, Vishnu Sharma AS, Purvi Mathur, Kushagra Sharma, Javedur Rahman, Mudassir, Purvi Mathur, Kushagra Sharma, and Rashmi Nandakumar.

Case Title

Kevin Joy & Ors. v. Government of India & Ors. | Writ Petition (Civil) Nos. 106 of 2023 and other connected matters

Click here to read the order