NEET MDS 2024: SC refuses to decide on cut-off date, says 'Centre more suited to take a call'

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has refused to decide on the extension of internship cut-off date for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - Master of Dental Surgery (NEET MDS 2024). The apex court said that the Union government is “more suited to take a call on the issue.”

The bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra heard the matter and said that “the government is looking into the matter and it is very difficult for us to keep extending cut-offs”.

CJI DY Chandrachud insisted that the government is more suited to take a call on the issue, pointing to their seeking data from National Dental Commission as indicator of their seriousness to address the issue, the Live Law reported.

“We direct that representation be dealt with expeditiously and preferably within a period of one week from the date of this matter. We clarify that we have not expressed any opinion and it will be open to the union govt to take a call," the bench pronounced.

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Aspirants filed a petition requesting the SC to direct NMC to postpone NEET MDS 2024 to July and extend the internship cut-off date. The NEET MDS exam 2024 is scheduled to be held on March 18. The National Board of Examinations (NBE) has already closed the NEET MDS registration on February 19 despite the pending case on postponement.

The students group said that the decision will affect 25,000 aspirants. The senior advocate appearing for the petitioners had in the last hearing informed the top court that a large number of students will be ineligible to apply for the exam as their internship will be completed much later than the internship deadline set by the NMC.

Aspirants had also pointed out the discrimination against the NEET MDS aspirants as they were informed about the exam date change just two months before the exam and the NEET PG aspirants were notified about the postponement 6 months before.