Counselling for NEET-PG won’t begin till SC decides on OBC, EWS quota: Govt

NEW DELHI: The Centre assured the Supreme Court on Monday that the counselling process of NEET-PG will not commence till the top court decides the challenge to 27 per cent reservation for OBC and 10 per cent for EWS category in PG All India Quota seats (MBBS/ BDS and MD/MS/MDS) from the current academic session.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and B V Nagarathna recorded the assurance given by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) K M Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, and observed that students will be in serious problem if the counselling process goes ahead as scheduled.

The assurance by Nataraj was given after senior advocate Arvind Dattar, appearing for some NEET candidates, mentioned that as per the schedule announced by the Director General of Health Services, the counselling process for the NEET-PG is to commence from October 25.

He said that by the time the court decides the pending batch of petitions, challenging the July 29 notification, introducing the reservation from academic year, the entire process of admission will be over and serious prejudice would be caused to the students.

Nataraj said the communication which counsel for petitioner is referring to was sent only to the medical colleges for verification of seats and one more clarificatory notification has been issued on Monday.

“The counselling process will not begin till the court decides the pending batch of petitions,” the ASG submitted.

The bench said that it is taking the word on record. The top court had clarified that it is not embarking into the policy domain but is only trying to ascertain whether constitutional principles have adhered or not.

SC BENCH RECORDS ASG’S ASSURANCE, OBSERVES IT WILL BE A BIG PROBLEM FOR STUDENTS IF THE COUNSELLING STARTS AS PER SCHEDULE