NEET PG Counselling: Supreme Court to hear EWS reservation case tomorrow

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea related to the EWS, OBC reservation in connection with the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test postgraduate (NEET PG 2021) counselling tomorrow. The Centre on Monday requested the apex court to schedule a hearing today or on January 5, 2022, citing "some urgency".

Latest | NEET PG Counselling 2021 Hearing Live Updates: SC to hear EWS, OBC reservation case today

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) N V Ramana and justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared in the court on behalf of the Centre, that the matter pertains to admissions to post-graduate medical courses and that students have been facing difficulties.

"If it is a three-judge bench matter, then it will be listed before a three-judge bench tomorrow," the CJI said. A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud told the Centre on Monday that a bench of requisite strength can be set up by the CJI as the EWS quota matter is being heard by a three-judge bench.

The matter was listed for hearing on January 6. Scores of resident doctors, who protested across the country to expedite NEET PG 2021 Counselling for weeks, have recently called off their agitation considering various factors including patient care. The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) said that the union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya agreed to the following demands in the meeting held on December 29.

In its affidavit filed in the apex court, the Centre has said it has decided to accept the recommendations of a three-member panel to retain the current gross annual family income limit for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) at Rs 8 lakh or less. The Centre has also told the top court that the Rs 8 lakh income criterion for determining the EWS is much more stringent than the one for the OBC creamy layer.

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) on December 11 indicated that the NEET UG 2021 counselling may further delay as the plea challenging EWS and OBC reservation in AIQ quota is still pending in the Supreme Court.

(With inputs from PTI)