70 year old NEET candidate moves Allahabad HC seeking 1 percent reservation for senior citizens in MBBS admissions

New Delhi: Seeking a one percent reservation for eligible senior citizens in medical college admissions, a 70-year-old candidate who allegedly appeared for both the May 3 NEET UG 2026 exam and the June 21 re-examination, has approached the Allahabad High Court.

The petition, filed on July 13, asks the court to direct the Central government to consider introducing a special quota for senior citizens in MBBS and other medical courses admitted through the National Eligibility, Entrance Test (NEET-UG).

The first hearing is likely to be held on Monday (July 18).

According to the plea, the candidate had earlier submitted representations to the Centre on May 5 and June 26 requesting such a reservation. As no decision was taken, he decided to move the High Court. The petition argues that the government's inaction is "arbitrary, unreasonable and violative of the principles of fair administration."

The Union government, through the Secretary of the Ministry of Education, has been made the respondent in the case.

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In his plea, the candidate urged the court to "A writ, order or direction in the nature of Mandamus commanding the opposite parties to consider and take an appropriate policy decision on the representation submitted by the petitioner regarding providing the reservation/special quota for eligible senior citizens in admissions to MBBS and other medical courses through NEET, in accordance with law and within a stipulated period fixed by the Honourable Court in the interest of justice."

The petition pointed out that several categories, including Persons with Disabilities (PwD), freedom fighters, ex-servicemen and sportspersons, receive reservations or special benefits in admissions, while senior citizens do not have any similar provision.

The candidate had earlier said that he appeared for NEET UG to fulfil the last wish of his mother, who wanted him to become a doctor. He has also said that he hopes to use medical knowledge to serve people at a charitable ashram he is building in his village near Lucknow. His wife is a gynaecologist, and his family circle has 20 doctors.

Speaking about the case, his advocate, Pankaj Dheer Singh Rana when asked if demanding reservation in medical colleges by a senior citizen felt a bid odd, told the TNIE, "The Supreme Court had a few years ago removed the age ceiling for the NEET-UG exam. The Court feels senior citizens are eligible to opt for a medical education if they desire. When the top court in the country feels they have the right to a medical seat, then the senior citizens need to be given the reservation too."

On the chances of the court giving a verdict in favour of such a reservation, Rana said, "It has a very good chance of being accepted. The first hearing is anyway scheduled shortly."

On March 9, 2022, the National Medical Commission (NMC) wrote to the National Testing Agency (NTA) stating that there should not be any fixed upper age limit for appearing in NEET-UG. This decision was taken in the NMC's fourth meeting held on October 21, 2021.

In November 2018, the Supreme Court allowed candidates above the then prescribed upper age limit to appear for NEET provisionally, while the legal challenge to the age restriction was pending. The Court also sought NMC's stand on the issue.

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