NEET MDS 2024: Supreme Court issues notice on plea to postpone exam to July

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has issued a notice seeking postponement of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - Master of Dental Surgery (NEET MDS 2024). A petition was filed in the top court to direct National Medical Commission (NMC) to postpone NEET MDS exam date to July and extended the internship cut-off date.

A bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra heard the matter. The All India Students’ Union (AISU) had also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to reschedule to the exam.

The decision will affect over 25,000 NEET MDS aspirants, the students group said. It also pointed out that the NEET PG 2024 which was to be held on March 3 was postponed to July 7 and the candidates were informed six months prior to the exam. However, the postponement of NEET MDS 2024 exam date from February 9 to March 18 in January; just two months before the exam.

NMC had announced the internship cut-off date for NEET PG to be August 15, whereas the deadline for NEET MDS is March 31. The NEET MDS 2024 registration last date is February 19.

Why aspirants are demanding for postponement?

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) conducts a common counselling process for NEET PG and MDS. The admission process on the other hand will commence only after the competition of NEET PG internship deadline in August.

Last year, the Telangana High Court after directing the officials to reschedule the NEET MDS exam said “from the next academic year the respondent shall take steps to see that all the candidates who have completed MBBS/BDS course across the country a uniform cut off date be fixed and enough care is taken to ensure that sufficient time is granted to all the students to prepare for NEET,” the Live Law quoted the order.

Senior advocate appearing for the petitioners also informed the apex court that several aspirants will not be eligible to apply as the internship will be completed post March 31. “Taking cognizance of the same, the bench agreed to issue notice, however, it was not inclined to grant an interim relief considering “It's only a matter of cut-off,” the report said.