NEET-PG 2022: MCC tells Supreme Court present academic year will be disrupted if it can’t conduct special stray counselling to fill vacant seats

The Supreme Court in the case Astha Goel v MCC observed and the court was informed by The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) that the software which was being used for conducting NEET-PG 2021 online counselling is now closed and hence by conducting a Special Stray Round of counselling, possibly 1,456 vacant seats can be filled.

Before the top court it was further submitted that the counselling process for two academic sessions, i.e., 2021 and 2022, cannot run concurrently.

The affidavit states that it is it is pertinent to mention that NEET-PG 2022 examination was conducted on 21.05.2022 and results have been announced on 01.06.2022 by examination conducting body (i.e., National Board of Examination) and at present, the software that was being used for conducting online counselling 2021 is closed and refund of security deposit for participation in PG counselling 2021 is also initiated.

The writ seeking a Special Stray Round of counselling to allow the candidates to participate for vacant seats available after the conduct of a stray vacant round of AIQ, an affidavit is filled for the same. Furthermore, the MCC in the affidavit that the preparation of the NEET PG 2022 counselling has been commenced by the Union of India and the MCC and in the month of July, it is likely to be conducted.

Further the affidavit states and is submitted that the counselling for two academic sessions cannot run concurrently and the prayer made by the petitioner is at belated stage as the whole process for upcoming counselling session (i.e., NEET-PG 2022), will be disrupt.

It is stated in the affidavit by MCC that total number 2,025 seats were offered in AlQ stray vacancy round of PG 2021 counselling and for which in AIQ stray vacancy round the total number of 1,17,945 candidates have participated.

Rise in the number of vacant seats as compared to the previous year is due to the Compliance of the judgement dated May 26, 2020 in the case of Alapati Jyotsana & Ors. W/s Union Of India & Ors counselling were also included in NEET PG for the DNB courses.

after completion of Round 2 of AIQ, no seats were reverted back to the respective participating states. Hence, as per the modified scheme of AIO which was accepted and the third round including the mop-up round and the fourth round including the online stray vacancy round was conducted in AlO from 2021-22 onwards.

The Top Court stated that leaving seats in NEET-PG vacant not puts aspirants into difficulty but also leads to dearth of qualified doctors. As the top court had come down heavily upon the Medical Counselling Committee.

The vacation bench comprising of Justice MR Shah and the Justice Aniruddha Bose observed while adjourning the matter, the bench permitted the authority to file its affidavit during the course of the day explaining the position of the vacant seats and the reason why they were not filled in.