NEET MDS Counselling likely to be conducted within 4 Weeks

The Union Health Ministry further informed the top court that the counselling process was not delayed intentionally, but it was actually caused by the pending clarification from the Apex Court regarding OBC reservation in All India Quota seats surrendered by the State medical colleges.

As per the latest affidavit by the Union Health Ministry, the NEET MDS counselling could be conducted virtually within 1 month with the existing reservation policies.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that unhappy over the delay in holding the counselling for the NEET-MDS admissions, the Apex Court bench comprising Justices D U Chandrachud and M R Shah had granted the Central Government one week's time for filing an affidavit.

"These are qualified BDS students. Why you have not held counselling since last year? Can you imagine the loss to India? You are not allowing them the degree by not holding counselling," the Supreme Court bench had observed while considering the grievances of the petitioner BDS doctors over the delay in NEET-MDS admissions or which exams were held on December 16, 2020.

The doctors, having Bachelor in Dental Surgery (BDS) degree, had appeared in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)-MDS conducted by the National Board of Examination (NBE) for admission to the Master in Dental Surgery (MDS) course.

The results for admissions in PG courses for BDS candidates were also declared on the scheduled date, which is on December 31, 2020. However, after the declaration of the result, i.e., on 31.12.2020 until today i.e. 23.06.2021, there was no update regarding the counseling.

Following this, seeking a direction to the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to release counselling dates at the earliest for the NEET MDS 2021, 9 dentists had moved the Supreme Court recently.

Also Read: Imagine the Loss to India: SC directs Centre to release NEET MDS Counselling schedule within a week

As per the report by Live law, the Union Health Ministry, in a counter-affidavit, informed the Apex court that they were not dilly-dallying the counseling process. The delay had been caused by the pending clarification from the Supreme court regarding the OBC reservation in the AIQ seats, the Union Health Ministry further submitted before the top Court.

The Ministry on Monday requested the top court to conduct the NEET MDS counseling for the academic year 2021-22 in virtual mode, within a period of 4 weeks with the existing reservation policies.

Meanwhile, referring to the issue of OBC reservation, senior advocate Vikas Singh submitted that the order of the Madras High Court dated 27/7/2020 had become final. Instead of challenging that before the High Court, the Union of India applied to a matter pending before the Supreme Court.

"These seats cannot be allowed to go unfilled due to confusion created by Centre. Union of India is saying that the Saloni Kumar case is pending. They should've challenged the HC order," Mr Singh was quoted saying by Live Law.

On the other hand, the ASG KM Nataraj informed the top court that the committee constituted by the Madras High Court had submitted a report in this regard, which also faces some difference in opinion. He further requested the top court to allow the Centre to go ahead with the existing reservation policy.

At this outset, the Apex Court bench observed that the order by the three-judge Bench of the top court had stated that the Committee would complete exercise so that process can be started; therefore the court cannot pass any order which would be contradictory to the earlier order.

Following this, the top court bench suggested the Centre to move an application before the three-judge bench. Noting that Centre proposes to apply to the Supreme Court regarding the matter, the court granted one week time to the Union of India for this purpose.

"This Court has been apprised that an application will be shortly moved in one week. We will hear the matter after two weeks, so we can be apprised of what has been done." the Bench noted.