NEET-PG 2021: Supreme Court Dismisses Plea For Special Stray Round Of Counselling to Fill 1,456 Vacant Seats

New Delhi: Stating that quality of medical education cannot be compromised which affects public health, the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a batch of petitions seeking a special stray round of counselling. For the unversed, 1,456 seats in NEET-PG-21 have remained vacant after the conduct of a stray round of counselling for All India Quota.Also Read – Postpone NEET UG 2022: Aspirants Urge PM Modi to Defer Medical Entrance, #MODIJIdeferNEETUG Trends on Twitter

Earlier this week, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) had informed the top court that it has concluded four rounds of online counselling for NEET-PG-21 and it cannot fill 1,456 seats by conducting a special stray round of counselling as the software stands closed. Also Read – NEET PG 2021: ‘There Must Be Limit’ SC Reserves Order On Pleas Seeking Special Stray Round Of Counselling

The top court said the decision of the government and the Medical Counselling Committee not to allow special stray round is in the interest of medical education and public health.  A bench of Justices MR Shah and Aniruddha Bose said, “When a conscious decision has been taken by the UOI and MCC for not conducting any special stray rounds of counselling, it cannot be considered arbitrary.” Also Read – NEET PG 2022: SC Slams MCC For 1456 Vacant Seats, Says It Is Like Playing With Life of Students

The bench made the observations while hearing a batch of petitions filed by doctors who appeared in NEET-PG 2021-22 examination and participated in Rounds 1 and 2 of the All India Quota (AIQ) Counselling and State Quota Counselling which was followed by All India Mop-Up and State Mop-Up Rounds and concluded on May 7 by the MCC post the All India Stray Vacancy Round.

(With PTI Inputs)