NEET PG 2022: Hearing in Supreme Court on application date, internship deadline deferred for Feb 8

The hearing before the Supreme Court in the plea regarding deadline for application of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test post graduate exam 2022 (NEET PG 2022) and for completion of internship (to be eligible for making such application), was deferred for February 8, Tuesday..A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant briefly heard the parties today before posting it for consideration on February 8 at 2 pm after Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain sought time to take instructions..One of the main prayers in the petition was to postpone the date of NEET PG 2022 which was earlier scheduled to be held on March 12.However, before the hearing happened today, the Central government already announced its decision to postpone the exam by 6 to 8 weeks, rendering the prayer on the same infructuous. However, the issue regarding internship persisted since many petitioners said that they would not be in a position to comply with the deadline of May 31, 2022 fixed for completing internship, one of the eligibility criteria to apply for the exam.The plea said that many final year MBBS candidates had joined as front line workers on Covid duties and it delayed the commencement of their internship."When the candidates made informal enquiries from the colleges regarding the internship extension date for next year and whether the same will affect the registration for NEET-PG 2022, they were given an oral assurance by the colleges that the same will not clash with registration requirement for NEET-PG 2022-23. However, on January 15, 2022, the candidates were shocked to note that they will not be able to register for one (1) year compulsory internship on or before 31st May 2022, as required under Clause 4.1 of the Information Bulletin," the plea filed through advocate Charu Mathur said.Thus, the condition is manifestly arbitrary as it deprives thousands of candidates to apply for the examination, the petition stated. "These final year students helped in the internship last year after PM Modi's call. But the deadline of internship is May 31. But the deadline will not be met," Senior Counsel Gopal Sankaranarayanan told the Court today.During the hearing today, the Court said that it can extend the time for registration."Should we file an application anyhow," asked Sankaranarayanan. "They (Centre) won't accept it without an order of court," the Bench responded..The plea also pointed out that NEET-PG 2022 schedule is against the spirit of Clause 12 of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000."Accommodating two batches in one year will be against the spirit of the Clause 12 of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000 (Regulations), which specifies the teacher and student ratio and also provides that maximum number of 5 PG seats for the degree per unit per year," the petition stated.The petitioners' counsel was briefed by Dubey Law Chambers.