NEET Allotment: SC Clears Reservation For OBC & EWS, Admission Resume

Rs. 8 lakh income criteria for students from poorer families approved

New Delhi: After four long months of delay, the medical admissions will resume as today the Supreme Court cleared 7 per cent reservation for OBC (other backward classes) and 10 per cent for EWS (economically weaker sections) categories for this year.

As per the officials, Rs 8 lakh income criteria for students from poorer families has also been allowed for this year.

After the decision, over 45,000 doctors can join the workforce, which comes as the country fights a massive surge of Covid cases; India has reported over two lakh cases in the past 48 hours.

According to the Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice AS Bopanna said, "We have been hearing this matter for two days, we must start counselling in the national interest."

The bench said a detailed hearing on the validity of Rs 8 lakh income criteria for future admissions will be subject to final adjudication of filed petitions, which have been listed for hearing on March 5.

NEET-PG or the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (Post-Graduate) is a qualifying and ranking exam for medical students for admission to over 100 private and medical colleges.

As per the orders, the counselling was to begin from October but it was delayed after petitions were filed in the top court challenging the government's July 29 notification announcing the 27 per cent and 10 per cent reservations for OBCs and poor students, respectively.

The SC heard the last argument on Thursday.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government, said he wanted to dispel confusion the revised criteria would "change the rules of the game midway" and said, "...the subject matter of this challenge is already implemented since 2019".

This was about senior advocate Shyam Divan, who appeared for the petitioners, saying the July notification had affected students because it was introduced after the exams were notified.

Last week the government said the Rs 8 lakh income criteria were consistent with Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution, and that the decision had been arrived at after due deliberation by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Yet, the court was unconvinced; "You must have some demographic or socio-economic data. You can't just pluck the 8 million figure out of thin air," Justice Chandrachud had said.

The government subsequently asked the court to allow counselling - with existing criteria retained - to resume as the delay had led to large-scale protests by resident doctors across the country. Govt. said changing norms at this time - when admissions and allocation of colleges for NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) students are ongoing - will lead to complications.