NEET-PG on May 21, SC rejects plea to defer exam
COURT OBSERVED that NEET-PG 2022-23 is already delayed by four months and there are just two batches of senior resident doctors serving in the hospitals across the country. THE BENCH said that any further delay would have serious consequences and cascading effect on patient care in hospitals and medical services.
The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a plea seeking the postponement of NEET-PG 2022-23 exam scheduled to be held on May 21 saying that after three years of dislocations due to devastating Covid-19 pandemic, things have started coming back on the tracks and the patient care and treatment is paramount.
Observing that NEETPG 2022-23 is already delayed by four months and there are just two batches of senior resident doctors serving in the hospitals across the country, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud heading a bench also comprising Justice Surya Kant said that any further delay would have serious consequences and cascading effect on patient care in hospitals and medical services.
Pronouncing the order,
Justice Chandrachud said that decision to hold NEET-PG 2022-23 on May 21 is a policy decision and there is little scope for the courts to interfere with the policy decision unless prima facie it suffers from any legal infirmity or arbitrariness.
Noting that 2,06,541 doctors have registered for NEET-PG 2022-23 exam, they have studied for it, taking time out from their busy engagement in hospital duties, the order said that any delay in the holding of the exam would impact “patient care and treatment” and “create chaotic situation and uncertainty”.
Petitioners — a group of doctors — had sought the postponement of NEETPG 2022-23 exams by eight weeks on the grounds that counselling for NEET-PG
2021-22 is still underway and the mop-up round will be completed on May 12.
Telling the court that those who have approached it are not the only one seeking the deferment of NEET-PG
2022-23 exam, but there are others as well who are knocking the doors of the ministry of health and family welfare for the same, the petitioners said that if exams are postponed by eight weeks, these 2,06,541 doctors will get more time to further prepare for it.