NEET-PG: Seek Govt for internship extension, SC tells aspirants

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the MBBS students seeking extending one-year internship deadline beyond May 31, criteria for aspirants for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-PG-22, to make a representation to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and Vikram Nath said that looking at the hardship faced by the aspirants, the MoHFW may decide on the representation within one week from the date of its submission. "Since the issue which has been raised by the petitioners require some element of determining of facts as well as aspects of policy, we are of the view that the ends of justice will be met by permitting the petitioners to submit a representation to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, setting out the nature of hardship, which is being faced by the students placed similarly to the petitioners", the bench said.

It added, "We, therefore, request that the representation be considered expeditiously within one week of its submission". The bench said that it is not expressing any opinion on the issue at this stage. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the MBBS Students, said that the examination has been extended but there is one important criterion that needs to be looked into. He said that the criteria are that students appearing for the examination have to complete a one-year mandatory internship by May 31, 2022, to be eligible for the NEET-PG-22 examination.

"This May 31, the deadline can be extended by a month or two", he said, adding that many candidates had joined Covid duties and hence could not commence internships early. The senior advocate further said that different medical institutions have different internship schedules and some started in May 2021, June 2021, or July 2021. "The last lot may be in September 2021", he said, adding that the examination which was scheduled for March 2022, has been now postponed to May 2022 on account of the Covid pandemic and hence this deadline can also be extended by a month or two. The bench said that it would be like stepping into the policy decision as there is no uniform date for commencement of the internship across the country.