NEET-PG postponement dismissed by Supreme Court | Candidates say, "Such PILs must not be filed"

The Supreme Court today, Friday, August 9, has dismissed the petition seeking the postponement of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2024.

This decision might not come as good news for a sect of students, who may have to face adversities, yet students say that this decision will now put an end to the limbo they were stuck in.

EdexLive spoke to students appearing for the NEET-PG 2024 exam, and the students collectively opined that the decision is for the best.

Dr Alisha from Rajasthan, who concluded her internship this year, says that the exam's postponement on June 23, was not good news. Another postponement might have added to the hassle, she said.

She said that constant delays may also add to the time they will take to kickstart their career, opining that such erratic and sudden decisions might delay certain events in their career.

"I concluded my internship three months ago, and it is a suitable time for me to take the examination. Further delay would have left me in a lurch. I want to immediately enroll in a medical college and pursue my studies. I certainly do not want to be kept waiting," expresses Alisha over the judgement.

She further adds that the decision was not a surprising one, and was expected. She told EdexLive that there are students who have been waiting for over a year, and further delays might inconvenience them more.

She added that students who are appearing for the first time, such as her, have already dealt with a sudden postponement, and any other extensions might wane everyone's confidence.

"Such verdicts usually prove to be better for many, although, not for all, but we have to look at the brighter side," said Dr Alisha, looking at a positive perspective towards the decision.

Another aspirant, Dr Shubham Anand, who is currently practising as a Junior Resident from Lady Hardinge Medical, expressed his ire towards such petitions that further cause an atmosphere of doubt. He asserted, "Such PILs must not be filed when students do not have a strong reason. It impacts several families and students."

Expressing his ire over the uncertainty, he added that the government would not cancel the examination twice, and since the issue of the centre of students from the state of Kerala, which was recently affected due to landslides, was resolved, there were no other palpable reasons.

On impromptu exam cancellations, Dr Shubham said, "Last time, the NEET Undergraduate (UG) and University Grants Commission - National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) was breached hence, the government had concrete reasons. Although I will denounce this action as they had informed us only a day prior, which was unfair to many."

He further said that another cancellation would mean another set of financial and mental duress to the NEET-PG candidates.

What happened during the hearing

The bench comprising the Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra refused to entertain the petition which sought the examination's postponement.

As per LiveLaw the CJI decreed, "As a matter of principle we will not reschedule. Two lakh students and four lakh parents will suffer. Behest of five petitioners will push the careers of two lakh students in jeopardy."

The bench further concluded that the argument presented by Senior Advocate Sanjay Hedge is "postulated on ideal solutions", adding that we dwell in a complex society, with an extremely diverse, geographically, cultural nation, hence, the large exams, and such decisions evade reality.

Previously, when EdexLive spoke to Vishal Soren, one of the petitioners of the case titled, Vishal Soren @ Bishal Soren & Ors. v. National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences, his main contention was that his centre was changed to Bhubaneshwar, at the last minute, when he had been residing in Delhi for several years, and had opted for the city as his first choice.

Not just Vishal, but several others echoed the same predicament of having to travel amidst unfavourable conditions, yet the CJI said that it has become a norm for students to just demand a postponement. 

The NEET PG examination will be conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) on August 11, 2024, in two shifts across the country for 2,28,542 candidates.