Delhi HC junks plea by 2 army doctors seeking nod to appear in NEET PG 2026

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has refused to grant interim relief to two Army Medical Corps officers who sought permission to apply for and appear in the NEET PG 2026 examination.

Refusing the pleas, the HC Vacation bench of Justices Mini Pushkarna and Vinod Kumar held that granting such relief would effectively suspend the effect of the Training and Professional Progression Rules for Medical/Non-Technical Officers of Armed Forces Medical Services, 2025, while the final adjudication in this regard, challenging the revised eligibility criteria under these rules, is still pending before the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT).

"It is to be noted that the Training Rules-2025 are in operation. Therefore, merely on account of the fact that the petitioners have challenged the said Rules, is no ground for granting any interim relief in favour of the petitioners. In case any interim relief as prayed for is granted, the same would have the effect of suspending the effect of the said Training Rules2025, which cannot be done, when the final adjudication in this regard is still pending before the learned AFT," noted the HC bench.

With this observation, the Delhi High Court bench dismissed the petitions challenging the orders of the AFT refusing interim relief holding that only because the petitioners have challenged the policy, there is no prima facie case for any interim relief in their favour.

"Thus, the learned AFT has held that only because the petitioners have challenged the policy, there is no prima facie case for any interim relief in their favour. This Court is in agreement with the said finding of the learned AFT," observed the Delhi HC bench.

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The petitioners had filed the plea before the HC under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking quashing and setting aside the orders dated 27th May, 2026, and 21st May, 2026 passed by the learned Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) Principal Bench, New Delhi, dismissing the petitioner's plea for interim relief with regard to the permission for applying and appearing in the NEET PG 2025 examinations, as a priority.

The counsel for the petitioners referred to the Training Rules for Medical/Non-Technical Officers of the Armed Forces Medical Services, dated 12th February, 2018, where, as per Rule 14(a)(ii), the petitioners had time from 4 to 10 years of service to take the NEET PG Examination.

However, subsequently, these Rules were superseded by the Training and Professional Progression Rules for Medical/Non-Technical Officers of Armed Forces Medical Services, 2025. As per Rule 7.2 under the 2025 Rules, the said period of 10 years has been reduced to 7 years.

Referring to this, the counsel for the petitioners prayed for permission to allow the petitioners to take the NEET PG 2026 Examination, pointing out that the last date for filling up the form was on 30th June, 2026.

On the other hand, the counsel for the Union of India argued that the Training Rules, 2025 were notified in November, 2025 and the petitioners were aware of the same since November 2025. They further submitted that the orders passed by the AFT were correct. It was also submitted that even if the petitioners ultimately succeeded in their challenge, they would still be eligible to appear for the examination until 2028, as they would be granted 10 years.

The HC bench observed that the petitioners have been in service since the years 2017 and 2018, respectively. Therefore, as per the rules, they became entitled to sit for the NEET PG Examination after four years of their service. Accordingly, the petitioners had time from the years 2022 and 2023 respectively, to sit for the NEET PG Examination.

At this outset, the HC bench noted, "This Court also takes note of the impugned orders dated 27th May, 2026 and 21st May, 2026, passed by the learned AFT, wherein, the learned AFT has categorically recorded that the petitioners herein have not been able to secure a seat in the NEET PG Course, either due to their personal choice and not applying earlier or on account on their failure in the examination process...Thus, the learned AFT has held that only because the petitioners have challenged the policy, there is no prima facie case for any interim relief in their favour. This Court is in agreement with the said finding of the learned AFT."

It was observed by the High Court that since the 2025 Training Rules were in operation, granting the relief would effectively suspend their operation even before the Tribunal decides the challenge.

"Furthermore, it is also to be noted that the matters are listed before the learned AFT on 28th August, 2026. This Court also takes note of the fact that in case the petitioners ultimately succeed, they would have time to sit for the NEET PG Exam till the year 2028," noted the court.

Accordingly, finding no error in the AFT's order, the bench dismissed the petitions.

To view the order, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/2026/07/01/neet-pg-aft-357086.pdf