12-member panel formed to audit NEET-PG system: Centre to Supreme Court

The Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday that pursuant to its earlier directions, a 12-member expert committee has been constituted to conduct a review of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for postgraduates.

A Bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe was told that the committee's terms of reference are to formulate a mechanism for a comprehensive audit of the existing NEET PG admission system involving various stakeholders, identify lacunae and gaps in the system and propose practical, implementable solutions.

The Court was hearing a plea challenging the decision to lower the qualifying cut-off percentiles for the NEET-PG 2025 examination.

Appearing for the Central government, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati placed before the Court an office order issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The order stated that the committee would work under the chairmanship of DGHS D Loveneesh G Krishna, with Dr. Praveen Kumar Dass, Assistant Director General (ME), as Member Secretary.

The committee also includes representatives from the National Medical Commission (NMC), the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Board of Examinations (NBE), among other officials from the Health Ministry.

On being asked how long the exercise would take, ASG Bhati submitted that the committee would require 8 weeks to submit its report after calling for suggestions from stakeholders.

Senior Advocate Pinky Anand asked whether the Court would consider appointing an amicus curiae, to which ASG Bhati responded that Senior Advocate Maninder Singh was already appointed amicus in the matter.

The Court directed the committee to call for suggestions from stakeholders and submit its report within 8 weeks, listing the matter thereafter for further hearing.

Advocate Satyam Singh Rajput appeared for the petitioners.

The pleas before the top court challenge a notice issued on January 13 by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), which stated that the decision to reduce the qualifying percentile cut-off was taken in accordance with directions issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Under the revised criteria, the cut-off score for the general category is 103, as against 276 earlier. For the SC/ST/OBC category, it is minus 40, down from 235.

According to the petitioners, the decision allows candidates with no demonstrable merit to become eligible for postgraduate medical admissions.

As per the plea, the reduction of minimum qualifying standards in postgraduate medical education is arbitrary, unconstitutional, and violative of Articles 14 (right to equality and against arbitrariness and discrimination) and 21 (right to life) of the Constitution.

According to the petition, the move abolishes merit at the apex level of medical education, institutionalises sub-standard competence, and poses a direct and foreseeable threat to patient safety and public health.

On the last date of hearing, the Court said that the decision to decrease the cut-offs was a serious issued that warranted its interference.

[Updates from the hearing]