NEET-PG 2022: The Supreme Court denied petitions seeking to postpone the 2022 NEET-Post Graduate examinations, stating that any change to the May 21 date “will create chaos and uncertainty, as well as a shortage of doctors in hospitals.”
The registration for NEET-PG 2022 was closed on March 25, according to a bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant, and more than 2 lakh doctors who registered for the exam will be prejudiced if it is further postponed.
“The requested relief in these proceedings cannot be granted.” As a result, the petitions are dismissed,” the bench stated.
Although the petitioners claimed that the postponement would cause no harm to anyone, the court noted that there are students who have registered.
The court denied the prayer, stating that it would have a negative impact on patient care and doctors’ careers. “The academic calendar has already been pushed back by more than four months… Any delay in administering the exam will result in fewer resident doctors. This year, there are only two teams of doctors. The request cannot be fulfilled.”
The court stated that the timetable must be followed as the country recovers from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The bench was hearing petitions from MBBS doctors who took the NEET PG 2021 exams and also participated in the ongoing 2021-2022 counselling process.
They asked the court to postpone the exams for eight weeks and to allow them to register by extending the registration deadline.
In response to the postponement request, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, stated that 2.06 lakh doctors have registered for the exams and that “what we are seeking to advocate is the rights of these doctors.” She stated that any delay could have a knock-on effect on other years, courses, super speciality courses, and patient care.
According to Bhati, the country suffered as a result of the pandemic, and “we are trying to get back on track.”
She stated that deliberations were held at the ministry level, and on May 10 it was decided that the exam should not be postponed in the public interest or in the interest of medical education.
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