[BREAKING] NEET-MDS Counselling to start from August 20, conclude on October 10: Central govt to Supreme Court

The Union Health Ministry has told the Supreme Court that the counselling for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Master of Dental Sciences (MDS) courses will start on August 20, 2021 conclude on October 10, 2021..An affidavit stating the same was filed before the top court in response to a plea highlighting the "infinite delay by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC)" in announcing the counselling schedule..A Bench of DY Chandrachud and MR Shah had asked the Ministry of Health on Monday to finalise and place on record the schedule for NEET-NDS counselling. .The plea before the Supreme Court said that the entrance exam was conducted on December 16, 2020.Thereafter, results were also declared on December 31, 2020. However, after the declaration of results there has been no update yet regarding counselling."Umpteen efforts were made by the Petitioners to get in touch with the Respondents in order to get an idea about the schedule of the counselling, however, till today there has been no update, regarding the counselling," the petition filed through advocates Tanvi Dubey and Charu Mathur said..The top court had, on July 2, issued notice on the plea. Subsequently, it had taken exception to the delay by the Central government in not arriving at a decision and asked the government to do so by this week."You are just dilly dallying. Make a statement now. Ministry of Health is just dilly dallying. These are hands on courses and these doctors will be in service of patients," Justice DY Chandrachud had said..Later, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had informed the Supreme Court in the third week of July that counseling will be carried out virtually within 4 weeks as per existing reservation policies..The petitions in were filed by Advocates Dr Charu Mathur and Sanjay Dubey. Senior Advocate Vikas Singh led the arguments on behalf of the petiitoners.