Minor document upload lapse shouldn't cost NEET PG seat: HC directs MCC to consider NRI candidate

Ahmedabad: Granting relief, the Gujarat High Court recently directed the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to consider the candidature of a NEET PG aspirant who failed to upload her NRI sponsor's passbook during the application process for the NEET PG Round 3 counselling under the NRI quota.

The Bench, led by Justice Nirzar Desai, remarked that since the petitioner is already a doctor and wants to become a specialist, she is expected to be careful and accurate while filling out her application form. However, the Court also said that a small mistake, like not uploading one document, should not cause lifelong regret for a student.

The Court made it clear that the MCC should consider her case and not reject her application only because the document was not uploaded, as reported by TOI.

Also read- Gujarat HC orders additional admission round to fill 3 vacant MBBS seats

TOI reported that the case revolved around a single document - the NRI sponsor's passbook, which the doctor failed to upload during the application process, leading to the rejection of her application in the merit list.

The concerned MBBS graduate had completed her MBBS under the NRI quota with sponsorship from her maternal aunt. She later appeared for NEET-PG 2025 and secured an All India Rank of 1,80,339, scoring above the prescribed cut-off.

However, while applying for postgraduate counselling, she did not upload her sponsor’s passbook, a mandatory document required to establish NRI eligibility. Due to this omission, her name was not included in the list of eligible NRI candidates. Though she could not upload the sponsor's passbook, she sent the document by email to the authority on Jan 30.

Opposing the plea, counsel for MCC argued that the document requirement was mandatory and that the admission process had already substantially progressed, and the counselling window was set to close on Monday at noon when the hearing was taking place. The counsel maintained that the non-uploading of the sponsor's passbook justified the non-consideration of her candidature.

After hearing both sides, the bench observed, "It is expected that a person who already became a doctor and aspires to become a specialist would adhere to and maintain the requisite precision and be absolutely meticulous while uploading the application form. However, such a minor mistake of failing to upload a single document ought not to result in a lifetime regret for a student like the petitioner."

The High Court directed the MCC to consider her case in the merit list if she is otherwise eligible and ordered not to reject her claim for a PG NEET seat solely on account of the lacuna of the failure to upload the passbook of the sponsor while filling up the PG NEET application form.

During the hearing, the student also expressed her willingness to donate Rs 1 lakh to the High Court Legal Services Committee, irrespective of whether she secures admission in PG courses or not. The court directed her to deposit the amount accordingly.

Also read- 57 MBBS seats vacant! Gujarat HC asks NMC, MCC to justify no further counselling