New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Friday said precious medical seats should not go to waste when the country was facing an acute shortage of doctors while directing the authorities concerned to hold fresh counselling for filling up the vacant seats.
The matter came up before a bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan. The bench asked the authorities to complete the admission process for medical courses by December 30, by conducting a special counselling for NEET UG admissions.
The bench, in its order, said, “Taking into consideration the peculiar facts and circumstances and further that the precious medical seats should not go to waste when the country is facing acute shortage of doctors, we are inclined to extend the period by way of a last chance”.
The bench noted that Gaurav Sharma, senior counsel appearing for the National Medical Council (NMC), fairly states that because the number of vacant seats is a one-time measure without it being treated as a precedent, this court may extend the period. The bench said the admission authorities are, therefore, directed to hold a fresh stray/special counselling for the seats remaining vacant and complete the admission process before December 30, 2024, in any eventuality.
The bench directed that no college would be permitted to admit the students directly and admission should be conducted only through the state admission authorities. “We, however, clarify that the stray/special admission process should not disturb the admission which is already finalised and the admissions would be made only from the waitlisted candidates”, said the bench.
The bench passed the order on pleas filed by Era Lucknow Medical College and Hospital and others. The apex court noted that all these petitions/miscellaneous applications have been filed with a prayer for directions to the admission authorities to conduct stray/special counselling rounds for the seats remaining vacant even after the five rounds of counselling.
