Court Cases- Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson Writes To Union Health Minister To Postpone NEET PG 2022 Exams

Mr. P Wilson, Senior Lawyer, and Rajya Sabha MP recently wrote to the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya requesting to postpone the NEET PG 2022 Examinations by at least 6 to 8 weeks thereby allowing students sufficient time to prepare and appear for these exams.

Mr. Wilson discussed how the process of admissions through NEET PG 2021 was delayed due to the pendency of Writ Petitions filed before the Supreme Court challenging the grant of OBC reservations in State contributed Seats to All India Quota, as well as litigation arising out of fixation of Rs. 8 lakhs as criteria for EWS reservations by the Union Government. The Supreme Court through its decision dated 20.01.2022 upheld the grant of 27% OBC reservation in SCS-AIQ in NEET PG 2021 and as an interim measure allowed 8 lakhs criteria for EWS to continue for NEET PG 2021. The matter is still under consideration.

Mr. Wilson discussed how the final allotment (mop-up round) for NEET PG 2021 was released only on 24th March 2022. The mop-up round was conducted and cancelled and then a special round for 146 PG students was conducted up to 7th April 2022 as per the directions of the Supreme Court. The stray Vacancy final results were published on 2nd May 2022 and intimations were sent to the students by 3rd May, 2022. The candidates who were allotted seats in the stray mop-up round of NEET PG 2021, were requested to report to their respective institutes by 7th May  2022.While so, the deadline for NEET PG 2022 was extended till 4th May 2022 and the exam is scheduled to be held on 21st May 2022.

Mr. Wilson states that since the process of admission through NEET PG 2021 was fully completed only by May 3rd 2022, great anguish and grief has been caused to students who do not have sufficient time gap between the NEET PG 2021 admissions and NEET PG 2022 entrance examinations. Further, students from Kerala, Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir are presently fulfilling their internship requirements. Therefore, the present deadlines makes them ineligible and excludes these potential and capable students from applying for the examinations.

He also pointed out that students are required to travel to distant cities amid the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. He also stated that if the intention of the Union Government in conducting NEET exams is to select the best medical minds, the same should not be conducted in a hasty manner giving no time for preparation and excluding students from three states. He stated that "We should not drive doctors, who stood as front line warriors against COVID-19 to now stand on the streets and protest for their legitimate demand to postpone NEET PG 2022."