NEET, NEET PG Reservation Policy challenged again: SC seeks reply from Centre, MCC

The top court bench, headed by Honourable Justices D Y Chandrachud and B V Nagarathna, issued notice and sought replies from the Centre and MCC on a fresh plea filed by eight petitioners, including NEET PG candidates, who assailed notice dated July 29, 2021, issued by the MCC amended in the reservation policy.

The bench tagged the plea with pending petitions on a similar issue reported earlier by Medical Dialogues.

The policy in question calls for the implementation of 27 per cent OBC quota and 10 per cent EWS quota in 15 per cent UG and 50 per cent PG All India Quota medical seats (MBBS/BDS and MD/MS/MDS) with effect from the current academic session 2021-22 as decided by the G0vernment of India.

On September 6, the top court had issued notices on similar petitions. The petitioners in that case are doctors who possess a recognised degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) awarded by a university or institute in India and registered with the State Medical Council. They have obtained provisional/permanent registration and are NEET PG candidates. They had sought quashing of the July 29 notice which provided for implementation of the prescribed reservation criteria with effect from academic session 2021-22.

They had said that as per the reservation policy, the overall reservation in 15 per cent UG and 50 per cent PG All India Quota seats would be -- SC - 15 per cent, ST - 7.5 per cent, OBC- (non-creamy layer) as per the Central OBC list - 27 per cent, Economically Weaker Section - as per Central Government norms - 10 per cent and persons with disability-5 per cent horizontal reservation as per norms.

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Now, a fresh plea, filed through advocate Vivek Singh, has sought quashing of the notification alleging that the attempt to provide for reservation in 50 per cent all India quota seats in PG medical course is clearly contrary to the law laid down by the apex court earlier.

According to PTI report, the petition submitted that the General category students applying for postgraduate medical courses are being reduced to a miniscule minority. It added that number of seats for PG medical courses are limited and providing seats based on reservation is denial of opportunity to meritorious candidates.