NEET PG Cut-Off Row: In another significant development on medical education standards, the Supreme Court has asked the Central government to file a detailed affidavit in response to the public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the policy of reducing qualifying cut-off percentiles of the NEET-PG examination. The petition filed as Harisharan Devgan v. Union of India has questioned whether the lowering of the eligibility bar would erode the quality of the admissions at the postgraduate level.
According to the Bar and Bench, a Bench headed by Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe expressed apprehensions on academic standards, pointing out that the matter has a direct correlation with the standards of higher medical education. Bar and Bench remarked, “This is about standards. The question is whether those standards are being compromised.” This follow-up was made after Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati briefed that the matter relates to postgraduate seats and all the candidates concerned are qualified doctors, reported Bar and Bench.
The bench, however, expressed surprise at the method adopted and cited contradictions in how this was treated. “We were stunned to see why this method was adopted. These are all regular doctors,” Bar and Bench remarked. Counsel for the matter explained that the objective of bringing down the cut-off was to ensure that no postgraduate seat was left unfilled, the report from Bar and Bench stated.
What was the main issue?
The main issue is the January 13 notice from the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). The notice says that the qualifying percentage arrived at is due to the reduced qualifying percentage following directives from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The cut-off under the new rules has been reduced to 103 for the general category from the earlier 276, and to minus 40 for SC, ST and OBC candidates from the earlier 235.
This notification is being contested in the petition, which states that the same is diluting the merit required for the postgraduate courses and allows those who lack merit to enter the program. This, the plea states, is arbitrary and unconstitutional and goes against Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. This move dilutes the merit required for the highest level of medical education.
