"Cutoff for NEET PG is a matter of policy": SC Asks Candidates to Make Representation within a week
New Delhi: Observing that cutoff criteria for the NEET PG examination is a matter of policy, the Supreme Court today (April 29) refused to entertain a plea seeking an extension of the internship deadline for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) Examination 2024.
Even though the counsel for the petitioners argued that non-extension may lead to the petitioners losing out on the time and efforts put in as a candidate, the Apex court bench of the Chief Justice of India disagreed to interfere in the matter, Live Law has reported.
The CJI observed, "We cannot extend that. ...I mean people are bound to fall on the side of a particular line when there is a cut-off."
However, the Court allowed the petitioners to approach the competent authorities to pursue the previous representations already made in this regard.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that earlier this year in January, the National Board of Examinations (NBE) had announced postponing NEET PG 2024 exam till July 2024. Issuing a notice on 09.01.2024, NBE had announced that NEET PG 2024, which was earlier scheduled to be conducted on 3rd March 2024, would be held on 7th July, 2024. Back then, the natboard had informed that the cut-off date for eligibility to appear in the NEET-PG 2024 would be 15th August 2024. COVID-19 disruption was one of the major concerns behind the recommendation to hold the NEET PG 2024 exam in July 2024 and extend the internship completion deadline till 15th August 2024, since students will complete their internship by June-July 2024.
Also Read: Breaking News: NEET PG 2024 Exam to be held on 7th July
However, as per the latest media report by Live Law, filing a plea before the Supreme Court, some of the petitioners prayed for an extension of the internship completion deadline to appear in the NEET PG 2024 exam. The counsel for the petitioners urged the Court, "My precious year will be at a lost ....eligibility till 15 August is already given."
Refusing to entertain the plea, the CJI remarked, "The fixation of a cut-off for appearing in the NEET-PG Examination is a matter of policy. Any cut-off would affect students. It will be open to the Petitioners to pursue the representations within one week."
The issue of the Internship completion deadline for the NEET PG 2024 examination has been a topic of discussion over the last few years. Every year, hundreds of students approach the authorities or seek legal remedies seeking an extension of the internship deadline, citing delay in commencing the internship due to several reasons.
Last year, considering the pandemic-affected schedule for admission and completion of MBBS courses, including the mandatory internship, the National Medical Commission (NMC) asked the medical universities to submit the details regarding the Internship completion date of 2018 batch MBBS students.
Informing the medical universities that the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has asked them to submit the details, NMC provided the link to a Google Form and asked the medical and health universities across the country to fill the form by 25.12.2023.
The MBBS students from the 2018 batch are scheduled to appear for the postgraduate medical entrance examination i.e. the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) examination in 2024. It is mandatory for the NEET PG aspirants to complete their one-year of mandatory internship within the prescribed deadline to be eligible to appear in the test.
However, the pandemic period affected the schedule of the admission and completion of MBBS courses. Taking note of the same, the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the NMC wrote to the Registrar of all Health/Medical Universities.
"Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the time schedule for admission and completion of course including internship has been affected. Hence, to assess the completion of internship of MBBS students of 2018 batch in order to conduct NEET PG-2024, MCC has requested all the Universities to fill in the Google Form as per link provided in the notice below given below latest by 25.12.2023, positively," NMC PG Board mentioned on 21.12.2023.
Also Read: NMC asks universities to inform on MBBS internship completion date of 2018 batch
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