DNA Explainer: Why NEET-PG 2021 counselling is put on hold, what doctors demand

The delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling has led to massive protests of resident doctors in Delhi. The counselling for admissions to National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Post Graduate medical courses has remained suspended ever since the matter got caught in a legal battle in Supreme Court.

The NEET-PG 2021 counselling has remained suspended after several petitions were filed in the Supreme Court challeging the July 29 notice of the Medical Counseling Committee. The Committee in its notice had clarified that there would be a 27% reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and 10% reservation to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in NEET-PG (All India Quota).

The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) has been spearheading the protest for the last several days. The matter is now listed for hearing in the Supreme Court on January 6, 2022.

How the matter unfolded

Several petitions were filed in the Supreme Court challenging the July 29 notice of the Medical Counseling Committee on reservation.

Medical Counseling Committee gives 27% reservation to OBCs and 10% reservation to Economically Weaker Sections in NEET-PG.

The petitions on the matter was last heard on November 25 when the Centre responded to questions from the Supreme Court of India.

The government said that it will revisit the criteria that fixes a limit of Rs 8 lakh in annual income to determine Economically Weaker Sections.

EWS is determined for the purpose of extending reservation benefits. Centre has sought four weeks to complete the revisiting of the criteria.

A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud asked Centre to explain how they arrived at the Rs 8 lakh annual income criteria to determine EWS.

The bench pointed out that Rs 8 lakh was also the limit fixed for the OBC quota saying they also suffer from social and educational backwardness.

The bench argued that under the Constitutional scheme, the Economically Weaker Sections are not socially and educationally backward.

Therefore, by having a similar quota scheme for both OBCs and EWS, the government was making 'unequals equals', the bench observed.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said in court that counselling will remain on hold during the four weeks time when revision exercise is undertaken.

What are doctors demanding

The residents' doctors have been demanding that the process for NEET-PG 2021 counselling be expedited.

It has been put on hold due to several petitions being filed in the Supreme Court over economic reservations.

Protesting doctors say withholding the counselling has resulted in a shortage of 45,000 doctors on the frontline.

Doctors have been protesting since November 27, 2021. The NEET PG exam was held on September 12, 2021.

IMA in a letter to PM Narendra Modi on December 24 has urged him to resolve the NEET-PG counselling crisis.