SC Questions NEET PG 2024 Round 3 Irregularities - Revised Seat Allocation or Fresh Counselling? All Details

In a major development, the Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre, National Medical Commission (NMC), and Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) regarding a petition demanding a fresh round of NEET PG 2024 counselling. The plea, filed by aggrieved candidates, highlights serious discrepancies in the All India Quota (AIQ) Round 3 counselling process, leading to unfair seat allocations. The court, after hearing the arguments, has issued a notice to the MCC and scheduled the next hearing for February 7.

According to the petitioners, several states, particularly Madhya Pradesh, failed to complete State Round 2 counselling before AIQ Round 3 commenced, resulting in seat blocking and a reduced pool of available seats in AIQ Round 3. The petition argues that the delay in Madhya Pradesh’s state counselling process caused candidates to exit AIQ Round 2 seats, which should have been reallocated in AIQ Round 3 but were not. Consequently, students ended up receiving lower-preference specializations like Anesthesia and Dermatology instead of General Medicine or Cardiology, which they could have secured had the process been correctly followed. The petition also highlights how Rajasthan successfully sought an extension from MCC, but Madhya Pradesh did not, further disrupting the allocation process.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate K Parmeswar, representing the petitioners, emphasised the structured sequence of NEET PG counselling, where state rounds should only commence after the completion of AIQ rounds to ensure a fair allocation of seats. However, this timeline was violated in Madhya Pradesh, causing a domino effect that disadvantaged many candidates. As a corrective measure, the petitioners are demanding the cancellation of AIQ Round 3 counselling and a fresh round to be conducted, along with a fourth round of counselling to allocate the blocked seats from State Round 2. Additionally, they have requested that AIQ Round 3 candidates be allowed to register for the stray vacancy round, as many high-demand seats have now been pushed into that phase.

The Supreme Court’s decision could impact the ongoing NEET PG 2024 counselling process.

Candidates must stay updated on MCC notifications for any potential changes in the counselling schedule. If the plea is accepted, AIQ Round 3 may be re-conducted, and a fourth counselling round could be introduced. Students are advised to regularly check official websites for further updates on the hearing and potential changes in seat allocation.