NEET PG Counselling: SC directs Madhya Pradesh to conduct State Mop-Up Round afresh by November 26
New Delhi: Observing that the result of State Mop-up round for NEET PG Counselling was declared before the All India Quota Mop-Up round result, the Supreme Court on Wednesday has asked the Madhya Pradesh Government authorities to conduct the State Mop-Up Round of Counselling afresh.
Noting that the act of the State to declare the results of State Rounds of Counselling on 17.11.2022, before the declaration of AIQ Rounds on 19.11.2022 was contrary to the directions given by the Apex Court, the bench comprising the Chief Justice of India, Justice Hima Kohli and Justice J.B. Pardiwala noted, "We are of the view that it would be necessary for the State of MP to conduct State Mop-Up Round of counselling afresh. This was necessitated because AIQ Round was completed on 19.11.2022…The results of the State Mop-Up has to be notified as it stands after AIQ seats have been allotted. In relation to the State of MP the following schedule is to be maintained - "..."
Giving time till the 26th of November, the bench has now asked the State of Madhya Pradesh to conduct the State Mop-Up round afresh after dropping the students who have already made it in the AIQ round.
It was argued by the counsel for the petitioner that because of the State's act of declaring the result of State Mop-Up before that of All India Rounds, several candidates could block seats both in State and AIQ Rounds of Counselling. Therefore, meritorious candidates are suffering, argued the petitioner's counsel.
Also Read: Uttarakhand Combines two rounds of NEET PG Counselling: SC allows candidates
In this context, the petitioner's counsel submitted, "In MP, the Mop-up Round of Counselling took place even before the AIQ Mop-up Round."
Responding to this, the CJI asked the counsel for the State, "Why do you do this? We are only doing trouble-shooting for medical colleges."
On the other hand, the counsel for the State of Madhya Pradesh argued that the State had completed the State Mop-Up round while considering the time-schedule approved by the Apex Court back in October 2022. Back then, the court had granted extension to the schedule prescribed in 2016 in Ashish Ranjan's case, adds Live Law.
It should be mentioned that in the concerned 2016 order, the Supreme Court had issued directions to ensure that no admission is made in the medical courses after May 31 of the concerned academic year. As a result, in October 2022, Apex Court's approval was necessary for extending the time-schedule for admissions to both the UG and PG medical courses.
However, the bench disagreed with these submissions made by the AAG, the counsel for the State. The reason why the court did not find any merit in these contentions is that the Apex Court in the order dated 11.11.2022 had indicated that States should proceed with the State Mop-Up Round only after completion of the AIQ rounds.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that with an aim to dismiss the gap between the State and AIQ counselling for NEET PG Examination, the Supreme Court had directed all the States and Union Territories for completing the second round of counselling within November 16, 2022.
The States had been directed to submit the data in this regard to the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and following this, the Mop-up counselling was to be conducted.
Clarifying that the State Mop-up round should commence only after the completion of AIQ Mop-Up round, the Apex Court bench comprising the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli had noted, "In order to ensure finality in the process of counselling in NEET-PG we direct all States and Union Territories to finish second round of counselling at 6PM on 16th Nov, 2022 and submit data on the same day to MCC. The counselling for mop-up round shall then be carried out by the competent authority. State of Maharashtra shall commence with State Mop-up round only after AIQ Mop-up round is over."
Referring to this, the Supreme Court bench disagreed with the submissions by the Madhya Pradesh State Counsel.
In this regard, the ASG, Ms. Bhati requested that there should not be much delay as it could ultimately disrupt the entire schedule. Agreeing to this the bench granted the State time till November 26, 2022.
Therefore, after consulting with the ASG, Ms. Aishwarya Bhati, the CJI directed the AAG of Madhya Pradesh, "You have to redo your State Mop-Up...Fresh lists can be drawn after dropping those who have already made it in the All India Round…You will have to redo your State Mop-up. We can give time till the 26th."
Also Read: SC directs States, UTs to complete 2nd Round of NEET PG Counselling by November 16
