The Medical Council Committee (MCC) has submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court today, December 18, stating that the Directorate of General Health Services will be the designated authority for allotting 50% seats under the AIQ in four rounds of counselling. This is regarding the modified method in place for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) counselling. The procedures will apply to the All India Quota (AIQ) seats for both Undergraduate and Postgraduate counselling.

The affidavit was filed before a bench consisting of Justices L Nageswara Rao, BR Gavai and BV Nagarathna, who disposed of a writ petition filed by Nihila PP for Special Leave for Appeal against an order passed by the Kerala High Court.

It is to be noted that earlier seats were returned back to the states after the second round of counselling, the DGHS will now fill these seats even in the third and fourth rounds via online counselling. Candidates can only exit and enter the counselling freely up until the first round. If they wish to skip the second round of counselling and go ahead with rounds three and four, they will have to register anew and let go of their security deposit. 

The SC has taken note of these provisions and disposed off the matter. The NEET counselling hasn't started yet, and is on hold until January 6 hearing of the case against reservation for OBC and EWS categories in the AIQ.