NEET PG Supreme Court hearing likely today; a timeline of events

NEW DELHI: While the National Eligibility Entrance Test - Postgraduate (NEET PG) cut-off 2024 has been reduced, the Supreme Court is yet to announce its verdict in the ongoing case on exam transparency and functioning of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). The NEET PG Supreme Court hearing is scheduled for January 7. Notably, petitioners demanded deferring of NEET PG counselling 2024, which is already in the third phase, until the matter is heard.

During the last hearing, the top court posted the NEET PG Supreme Court case for hearing on a ‘non-miscellaneous day’. Candidates have pointed out several irregularities in the NEET PG exam held last year including multiple exam postponements, non-disclosure of NEET PG answer key, use of normalisation method, and non-availability of raw scores secured by those who appeared.

States bore the brunt of the NEET PG 2024 Supreme Court case as many faced a delay or stalling of the NEET PG counselling 2024, over the NEET PG merit list prepared by NBEMS using the normalisation criteria, including Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan.

NEET PG Supreme Court Case: A timeline of events

In September 2024, 19 aspirants moved the apex court demanding clarity on NEET PG 2024 and seeking the display of raw scores obtained by the candidates in the exam. After several postponements amid paper leak allegations, the postgraduate medical entrance exam was held on August 11 in two shifts for admission to MD, MS, other PG medical programmes.

On September 11, 2024, then Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud heard the plea, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, and sought a response from NBE on the issue.

On September 20, 2024, the bench noted that it was ‘unusual’ to change the NEET PG exam pattern three days before the exam. The test was held in more than one shift for the first time in its history.

On September 30, the SC postponed the NEET PG hearing to October 4 as no one appeared from the centre. The matter was further posted for hearing on October 25 as the CJI was not available on the previously scheduled date.

The SC bench directed for the matter to be listed on November 19, highlighting the need to hear it in detail, which was further deferred for the fourth time to November 26.

As per the latest update, NEET PG in Supreme Court is due for January 7.