NEET PG: SC Cancels Mop-Up Round Counselling For AIQ; Opens 146 Additional Seats For Students

NEET PG: The Supreme Court cancelled the All India Quota (AIQ) NEET Mop-Up Counselling for Post Graduates for 2021-22 sessions. The court directed the authorities to invite options from students within 24 hours of issuing the fresh notification and complete the process within 72 hours after the cut-off time for giving options.

NEET PG: The Supreme Court on Thursday cancelled the All India Quota (AIQ) NEET Mop-Up Counselling for Post Graduates for 2021-22 sessions. The apex court has directed for holding of a Special Round of Counselling for the 146 seats and has allowed students who have joined the AIQ or the State Quota in Round 2 to participate in this round for 146 seats.

A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant and Bela M Trivedi also directed the authorities to invite options from students within 24 hours of issuing the fresh notification and complete the process within 72 hours after the cut-off time for giving options. After that, the authorities should hold a mop up round, and endeavour to complete the same within 72 hours.

Supreme Court issued the following directions:

1. The AIQ mop up counselling shall stand cancelled;
2. For 146 seats which became available after the AIQ Round 2 on March 16, 2022, a special round of counselling shall be conducted;
3. Students who joined in AIQ or State quota shall be eligible to participate in the special round of counselling without forfeiture of penalty or security deposit (financial penalty);
4. The Director General of Health Services shall invite option from students within 24 hours and wrap up the same in 72 hours.
5. A fresh mop round will be conducted for AIQ seats; the process should not take more than two weeks;
6. Candidates who have joined in round 2 of State quota shall not be eligible to participate for fresh mop up round of AIQ.

The Court was hearing a petition seeking by a group of doctors seeking to participate in the mop-up round of NEET-PG 2021-22 counselling. The petitioners who were already allotted seats in the second round of counselling, had challenged the Medical Counselling Committee’s March 16 advisory restraining their participation in the mop-up round if a candidate has already picked up seats in State quota.

Their contention was that around 146 seats were subsequently added as a consequence of which people lower in rank than the petitioners would get better disciplines.