On Friday, the Supreme Court altered its 2016 order and gave a heads up for the academic calendar for postgraduate medical courses proposed by the National Medical Commission (NMC) for the academic year 2022-23 keeping in mind the delay in starting the previous two academic years due to COVID-19.
The approved academic calendar says that the academic session for PG courses will start on October 20 this year with the first round of counselling having been held from September 15 to 27 for all-India quota and deemed central institutes under the central counselling in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Under the schedule, the first round of state counselling had also been conducted from September 25 to October 4.
A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hima Kohli approved the schedule after advocate Gaurav Sharma, appearing for the NMC, said the top court order of 2016 stipulated that no admission can be made in postgraduate medical courses after May 31 of the academic year concerned. It noted that the exam schedules for the past two academic years were delayed due to the onset of Covid pandemic and the ensuing lockdown and said that NMC's "explanation is bona fide".
As per the schedule, the final joining date after the second round of central and state counselling will be October 26 and the mop-up round of central and state counselling will be conducted from October 31 to November 8 and from November 9 to 14, respectively. The last date of joining after mop-up round counselling at the central level will be November 14 and the state level November 17.
