NEET PG 2021: HC asks NBE, Centre to consider extending last date of applications, MBBS internship

This comes after an MBBS graduate approached the High Court seeking extension of date of application for registration to appear in NEET PG 2021. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that that since the date of the examination has been delayed from April to September, the concerned authorities should consider extending the last date of completing the internship as well, and give the petitioner student a chance to appear at the examination.

A single judge bench comprising of Justice Prateek Jalan directed the Centre to coordinate with the relevant agencies and take a decision on the said aspect before next date of hearing i.e. 12 August.

The plea has been moved by a student who has successfully completed his MBBS course, and will complete his internship in September 2021. NEET-PG examination is normally held in January every year. However, due to second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the examination was postponed and rescheduled to April 18. At that time, the National Board of Examinations (NBE) had suggested that the candidates would have to complete their internship by 30.06.2021.

As the petitioner student was not eligible to write the NEET-PG examination at that time, he didn't apply for the same. However, as the case counts were rising, the Prime Minister decided to postpone NEET-PG again and it has now scheduled to be held on September 11.

Being eligible to write the PG medical entrance now, the petitioner student had made several representations seeking permission to take the examination and finally approached the Delhi High Court.

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As per the latest media report by Live Law, the plea by the petitioner student mentioned, "That the Petitioner along with several other students who have now completed their internship or are likely to complete their internship by 30.09.2021 only whereafter the admission/counselling process can commence now, will have to wait unnecessarily, God knows till when, for appearing in the NEET-PG examination, even though they have now become eligible for admission to the PG course and the admission test for the same i.e. NEET-PG 2021 is yet to take place."

The petition seeks the following prayers, as per Live Law,

1. A Writ of Certiorari calling for the records of the case and peruse the same.

2. Quash the action of NBE and other concerned authorities in not accepting the representations made by the Petitioner requesting for an extension of the date of application for registration for NEET-PG 2021.

3. Direction upon the Respondents to fix a new date of submitting application for NEET-PG 2021 who are completing their internship by 30^th September 2021.

4. A Writ of Mandamus commanding the Respondents to pay the costs of this petition to the Petitioner.

On the previous hearing on July 22, the counsel appearing for NBE had submitted before the court that the date of the examination and the qualification are set by the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the NBE is only the examining body. He also had informed the Court that a similar petition is pending before the Madras High Court.

Listing the matter to be next heard on August 12, the HC bench directed on July 29,

"Having regard to the fact that the date of the Examination has been postponed to 11.09.2021, the respondents are directed to consider whether the date for completion of internships by the candidates is also liable to be accordingly extended. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, is directed to coordinate with the relevant agencies and take a decision on this aspect before the next date of hearing."

To read the court order, click on the link below.

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/delhi-hc-order-neet-pg-158496.pdf

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