The apex court has been hearing petitions that have challenged the Centre and Medical Counselling Committee for the notification which states that 27 percent reservation will be given to the OBC category and 10 percent to students from economically weaker section
A file image of the Supreme Court. PTI
The Supreme Court of India asked the Centre to put the counselling for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2021 on hold as the validity of implementation of EWS and OBC reservations in the All India Quota (AIQ) has not been decided by the court till date.
Earlier, the counselling process for NEET PG for fifty-percent seats AIQ was to begin today, 25 October.
The apex court has been hearing petitions that have challenged the Centre and Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for the notification which states that 27 percent reservation will be given to the OBC category and 10 percent will be given to students from Economically Weaker (EWS) Section.
The Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, assured the top court that the NEET PG 2021 counselling will not begin till the Court takes a decision on the Centre’s proposal about OBC and EWS reservation.
The bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and BV Nagarathna also observed that if the counselling process takes place before the apex court’s decision on the matter, it will be a serious problem for students.
MCC then released a notification on their official website, stating that the counselling process for NEET PG is postponed till further orders.
On 21 October, the Supreme Court had questioned the Union government over the rationale for arriving at the exact figure of Rs 8 lakh as the limit for EWS category. The apex court stated the figure was the same as that for determining the creamy layer of OBCs. The bench asked the government to give details of the demographic study or data that was taken in order to arrive at the figure.
The Centre had replied that the Rs 8 lakh per annum limit for EWS was fixed by keeping in mind the policy based on the National Cost of Living Index.
NEET PG exam 2021 was conducted on 11 September and the result was announced on 28 September. This exam is held for admission to Doctor of Medicine (MD), Master of Surgery (MS), PG Diploma and DNB CET.
NEET PG counselling will be conducted in online mode by MCC and those candidates who earned the minimum cut-off marks are eligible to participate in it.
The counselling process will begin with the process of candidate registration, followed by payment of registration fee after which, the choice filling and locking option will open for candidates. Once the seats are locked, there will be a declaration of seat allotment results and students will have to report to the allotted college.