SC notes Centre's decision to reduce NEET PG cut-off by 15 percentile, disposes of plea

New Delhi: The Supreme Court noted on Monday that a decision has been taken by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that there shall be a reduction across all categories of 15 percentile for admission to the NEET-PG courses and disposed of a plea seeking reduction of cut-off marks. A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant said the petition which has been instituted by the doctors stands disposed of as they would be able to secure admissions and their grievances would be addressed.

It noted, “By a communication of the Union government dated March 12, 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has decided in consultation with the National Medical Commission that there shall be a reduction across all categories of 15 percentile for admission to the NEET PG courses. Thus, for the general category the cut-off percentile is 35, for the physically handicapped general category 30 and for the reserved SC/ST 25”.

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The bench said that in the event the petitioners still have any subsisting grievance, “we grant them liberty to adopt appropriate proceedings in accordance with law, including by applying for revival of present proceedings. Hence, the petition is disposed of, at the present stage, reserving liberty to the petitioners, as noted above”.

At the outset, Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioners who are MBBS doctors, said that the counselling is ending on March 30 and now they have reduced the cut-off marks. He submitted that last year also cut-off marks were reduced but 7000 seats went vacant.

Bhushan said a representation is pending that there should not be no cut-off marks and court may direct for appropriate consideration of the representation. Advocate Gaurav Sharma said that PG seats which normally go vacant are those seats which are mostly related to academic studies. The bench then asked Sharma to produce the notification passed with regard to reduction of cut-off marks and passed the order.