NEET-PG 2024: SC rejects plea for new counselling

New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a plea seeking cancellation and fresh conduct of the all-India quota (AIQ) round 3 counselling for NEET-PG 2024. A bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and K. Vinod Chandran ruled against the petition after the National Medical Commission (NMC) argued that such a move would disrupt the entire admission process across states.

The court observed that students had already participated in counselling, and any changes now would create further complications. The petitioners, eligible for NEET-PG 2024 counselling, argued that AIQ round 3 started before round 2 of state counselling concluded in certain states, allowing ineligible candidates to block seats. They claimed this deprived other deserving candidates of available seats.

The plea stated that in states like Madhya Pradesh, where round 2 had not ended, candidates secured AIQ seats but later opted for state quota seats, causing unfair seat blocking. The petitioners alleged that the Medical Counselling Committee’s (MCC) actions conflicted with the Supreme Court’s counselling schedule.

The plea sought either fresh AIQ round 3 counselling or an additional fourth round to allocate unfilled seats. However, the court dismissed the petition, noting that allowing it could open the floodgates for numerous similar requests.