Changes in NEET-PG Super Speciality exam only from next year: Centre tells SC

The government on Wednesday (October 6) informed the Supreme Court that the 2021 NEET-PG Super Speciality examination will be held as per the old pattern and the new examination pattern will only be implemented from the 2022-23 academic year onwards.

The Centre’s clarification comes after the apex court rapped the National Medical Council (NMC), National Board of Examinations (NBE) and the Union Health Ministry for “playing with the lives of young doctors” by changing the pattern of questions more than a month after notifying the exam date.

A bench of justices DY Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and BV Nagarathna recorded the submission of Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati and disposed of pleas of students who challenged the Centre’s earlier decision to implement changes in the examination pattern of NEET-Super Speciality from this year.

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“In deference of your observations, and in the interest of students, the Centre has decided that the revised scheme will be implemented from 2022.The present exam will be held based on the 2020 scheme” Bhati informed the bench.

Expressing satisfaction with the government’s “fair” decision, the court allowed it to decide on the final date of the examination.

The bench, however, said that it is leaving the question open on the validity of the changes made in the pattern of the examination.

On Tuesday, the top court had given one last chance to the Centre to put its house in order and take a call on reversing the changes made to the NEET-Super Speciality examination 2021.

An anguished top court had said that the medical profession and education have become a business, and now, the regulation of medical education has also gone that way which is the nation’s tragedy.

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The apex court was not satisfied with the justification given by the Centre, the NBE and the NMC for making the last-minute changes after the notification for the examination was issued in July.

The top court was hearing a batch of pleas of 41 post-graduate doctors and others who had challenged the last-minute changes made to the syllabus after the notification was issued on July 23 for the test to be held on November 13 and 14.

(With inputs from agencies)