The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a series of petitions filed by doctors alleging discrepancies in the NEET-PG 2022 scores. The petitioners had sought a stay on the NEET-PG counseling process and demanded the release of the question paper and answer key, along with the option for revaluation of their scores. However, the apex court found these petitions to be “infructuous” and refused to halt the ongoing counseling process.
Petitioners’ Claims
The petitioners, a group of doctors who had completed their MBBS degrees, claimed significant mismatches in their NEET-PG 2022 scores. They argued that the National Board of Examinations (NBE) did not provide an option for re-evaluation or re-checking of the answer sheets, which they believed would address the discrepancies. The petitioners highlighted that other competitive exams, such as NEET-UG, IIT-JEE, and CLAT, allow candidates to challenge the answer keys, thereby ensuring transparency and fairness in the evaluation process【159†source】【160†source】.
Court’s Decision
The Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice DY Chandrachud, stated that halting the NEET-PG counseling process would have far-reaching consequences. The court underscored the importance of maintaining the counseling schedule to avoid disrupting the admission process for postgraduate medical courses. The bench also noted that a related petition concerning NEET-PG 2021 was pending and tagged both cases together for a final hearing later【160†source】【161†source】.
Implications of the Ruling
This decision by the Supreme Court ensures that the NEET-PG 2022 counseling can proceed without delay, allowing successful candidates to secure their admissions and continue their medical education. The ruling also emphasizes the need for maintaining procedural integrity while addressing concerns of transparency and fairness in the evaluation process