NEET PG case: Central government requests Supreme Court to hear matter tomorrow, CJI to take a call

The Central government on Monday mentioned the case relating to admissions to NEET post graduate courses, before the Supreme Court and sought an early listing of the case [Neil Aurelio Nunes v. Union of India].

. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the case before a Bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud stating that there is "urgency" and asked the Court to hear the case tomorrow.

"This is regarding EWS reservation. there is some urgency. Please have it tomorrow," the SG said.

Justice Chandrachud said that he will speak with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana and take a call.

"I will have a word with the Chief Justice of India since Justice Surya Kant is with CJI and Justice Vikram Nath is on another bench. I will see if a special bench can be constituted to hear this," he said.

The case is originally slated for hearing on January 6 but resident doctors have been protesting in Delhi seeking early hearing since counselling for NEET PG courses have been put on hold due to the case before the top court.

. The Court is hearing petitions challenging 27 percent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and 10 percent reservation for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) introduced by the Central government in All India Quota (AIQ) seats in State government medical institutions.

As part of the same, the apex court is examining the feasibility of having ₹8 lakh as a cap to avail the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota.

During the hearing of the case on October 25, the Central government had assured the Court that the counselling for PG medical courses will not start till the Court decides the matter.

It also constituted an expert committee to examine the EWS criterion.

The NEET counselling is usually held in March every year but was delayed in 2021 due to COVID-19.

The NEET PG entrance examination itself was held only in September this year and the counselling has not started yet.

The admission of around 50,000 resident doctors are, therefore, on hold.

The doctors are demanding that the counselling be conducted expeditiously.

. In an affidavit filed on January 1 , the Centre told the Court that it has decided to stick to the existing criteria of ₹8 lakh annual income limit for determination of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) with respect to the ongoing admissions to the NEET PG courses.

The Centre informed the top court that an expert committee constituted by the government to reassess the criteria, suggested that the existing criteria may be continued for ongoing admissions while the revised criteria suggested by the committee may be adopted from the next admission cycle.

NEET PG case: Central government requests Supreme Court to hear matter tomorrow, CJI to take a call

Debayan Roy

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