New Delhi: Ahead of a hearing in the Supreme Court, the Modi government has written to the National Board of Examinations (NBE) asking for the NEET-PG examination 2022 to be postponed by 68 weeks or “suitably”.
The SC is slated to hear a plea seeking postponement of the examination later Friday. The exam was originally scheduled to take place on 12 March.
In a letter to NBE dated 3 February, Dr B. Srinivas, Assistant Director General (Medical Education), Director General of Health Services, wrote: “I am directed to say that lot of representations were being received from medical doctors regarding request to delay NEET-PG 2022 examination date i.e, 12.03.2022 as published in information bulletin by NME (national Board of Examination). Since it is clashing with the NEET-PG 2021 counselling. Also, many of the interns would not be able to participate in the PG counseling 2022 by the month of May/June 2022.”
He added: “Keeping the above facts in view the honourable HFM (health and family welfare minister) has taken the decision to postpone NEEY-PG 2022 by 6-8 weeks or suitably. Hence, the decision by the HFM may be complied with. This issues with the approval of competent authority.”
The letter is addressed to professor M. Bajpai, Executive Director, NBE. ThePrint has a copy of the letter.
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Top court hearing today
Last month, six MBBS graduates filed a plea in the Supreme Court through Dubey Law Chambers, seeking a direction to the NBE to defer the scheduled test until various requirements, such as completion of mandatory internship period, set forth in the PG Regulations, are met by many aspirants.
The plea had argued that a large number of MBBS graduates had been roped into fighting the Covid pandemic and thus could not finish their internships which would make them ineligible for appearing in the test, hence the court should give directions for the test to be deferred.
According to NEET-PG eligibility rules, candidates need to have completed one year of internship to be eligible to appear for the test that is mandatory for students wanting to pursue postgraduate medical education.
The apex court is set to hear the matter Friday.
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Source: The Print
