27 Sep 2023 6:20 AM GMT
The Delhi High Court has issued notice on a plea moved by various doctor candidates against the reduction of qualifying percentile for post graduate courses in NEET-PG 2023 examination to 'zero' i.e. minus 40 marks across all categories.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav sought response of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, National Board of Examination and Medical Counselling Committee.
The plea has been moved by three MBBS doctors who took the NEET PG exam on March 05 and were participating in the counselling process. They have challenged a notification issued by the Union Government on September 20 reducing the qualifying percentile for the examination.
“…by reducing the eligibility criteria to zero percentile, i.e., minus 40 marks-the very purpose of conducting of the NEET PG exam stands defeated. It also fades away the entire purpose of a “National Eligibility cum Entrance test” if the quotient of “eligibility” itself is diluted,” the plea states.
It is the petitioners’ case that they wrote a representation to the Union Ministry seeking clarification regarding the impugned order and requesting its withdrawal. However, no reply was received.
“the Impugned Order is prejudicial to the candidates who had opted out of the second round of the counselling process as it seeks to operate in retrospect, Candidates had opted out of Second Round hoping for a better seat in the Mop Up round that used to be held each year, however, the conversion of seats in the proposed Third round is different and substantially less than the erstwhile Mop Up Round, as such, the Impugned Order has vitiated the calculated approach of candidates in hindsight,” the plea adds.
Advocate Tanvi Dubey argued on behalf of the Petitioners.
Title: AMAN S MADKE & ORS. v. UNION OF INDIA & ORS.