Centre Defers NEET-SS Exam Pattern Changes To 2022-2023 After Supreme Court Rap

Faced with harsh criticism from the Supreme Court over the eleventh-hour changes brought to the NEET-SS 2021 pattern, the Central Government on Wednesday told the Court that the revised pattern will be implemented only from next year.The Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told the Supreme Court today that the NEET-SS 2021 will be held as per the existing pattern.The modified pattern will be given effect to only from the academic year 2022-2023."In deference of your lordships observations & interest of students, the Centre has decided that the revised scheme will be implemented from 2022. The present exam will be held based on 2020 scheme", the ASG told the bench as the matter was called today morning. The bench disposed of the petitions challenging the changes made to NEET-SS 2021 pattern, recording the submission made by the ASG."The learned ASG Bhati for the Union of India submits that decision has been taken by the Union Govt in consultation with NBE,NMC that with regard interests of student who would've commenced preparation for NEETSS-2021 that the modified pattern shall be given effect from academic year 2022-2023.Since the grievances sought to be raised has been fulfilled, in circumstances, the petitions filed under Article 32 are disposed of. We Clarify since the Union of India has taken a decision to hold NEET- SS scheduled for November 2021 on the basis of erstwhile pattern which held the field, it is not necessary for court to decide to validity of pattern for 2022-23. That issue is kept open", the bench stated in the order. A bench comprising Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice Vikram Nath and Justice BV Nagarathna was hearing a group of writ petitions filed by PG doctors challenging the changes in syllabus and pattern made for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Super Specialty(NEET-SS) 2021. The petitioners argue that the "last-minute" changes brought much after the notification of exam dates are "arbitrary".As per the prevailing pattern which has been in existence from 2018 to 2020, 60% marks were allotted from questions in the super specialty while 40% distributed for questions from feeder courses. However, as per the proposed pattern, the entirety of questions for the critical care super specialty will be drawn from general medicines.What happened in the previous hearing?During the hearing yesterday, the Supreme Court had questioned the eleventh-hour changes made to the NEET-SS 2021 pattern and asked the Union Government and the National Board of Examinations to "put their house in order" by deciding to defer the implementation of the revisions next year. The bench remarked that the revised patterns give extra privilege to the students from the General Medicine category, putting students from other feeder categories at peril. The bench also wondered if the hurried changes have been brought to ensure that seats in private medical colleges for SS courses are not lying vacant."You announce the changes in August for the exam in November. And when the students come to the court, you change the exams to January. This does not augur well for the medical education in the country", Justice DY Chandrachud, the presiding judge, told Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, who was appearing for the Union Government.The bench noted that as per the revised pattern, 100% questions for the super specialty entrance will come from the feeder category of general medicine. However, as per the pattern prevailing from 2018-2020, 60% of the questions were from the super specialty course which the student opted and 40% questions were from the feeder categories."For 12 super specialties, 100% questions are from general medicines. The entire examination is going to be only be on general medicine. The logic seems to be, general medicine is the largest pool, and tap them to fill the seats. That seems to be idea. And see the prejudice caused to the studies.Previously they got 40% questions from the feeder courses but now they would get 100% questions from General Medicine", Justice Chandrachud said.The bench, also comprising Justices Vikram Nath and BV Nagarathna, observed that they were getting the impression that this has been done only with the intention of ensuring the filling up of vacancies. "Seats are vacant are never in government colleges. It's always in Private.We have a surmise, that the seats in govt colleges are not lying vacant. It is a reasonable surmise. It appears that the entire haste is for filling the vacant seats", Justice Chandrachud said."The interest of students is far higher than that of the institutions. Of course, private institutions have made investments. But we have to balance. Students are going to be the torchbearers of the future", the judge added.At one point, Justice Chandrachud even went to the extent of saying that the bench is getting the impression that medical education and medical ...

Centre Defers NEET-SS Exam Pattern Changes To 2022-2023 After Supreme Court Rap

Srishti Ojha

NEET-SS 2021 will be held as per the existing pattern, Centre told the Court.

Tags