Resident Doctors Association urges to start NEET-UG Counselling 2021

The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) on Wednesday requested to Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to take necessary measures for the commencement of NEET-UG Counselling 2021.

In a letter, the FORDA thanked the Committee for declaration of the NEET-PG Counselling 2021 schedule soon after pronouncement of judgement by the Supreme Court.

"At the very beginning, we would like to thank you for declaration of the NEET-PG Counselling 2021 Schedule soon after pronouncement of judgement by the Hon'ble Supreme Court on 7th January 2022 and the Counselling process is set to begin today (12th January) onwards. Along with this, we would like to draw your attention towards the plight of thousands of Medical aspirants across the nation who had appeared and cleared the NEET-UG Entrance Examination and are eagerly waiting for the commencement of NEET-UG Counselling 2021," the letter reads.

It further said, "Similar to Broad Speciality Courses, there has been no admission of Under-Graduate students in the current Academic Year, owing to postponement of the Counselling. Though it was notified that along with NEET-PG Counselling, NEET-UG Counselling will also commence soon, there has been no further update in this regard yet. This has led to a lot of anxiety and confusion among the aspirants. We would hereby request you to kindly take note of the grievance of Medical aspirants of the nation and take necessary measures for commencement of NEET-UG Counselling 2021 at the earliest."

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed NEET-PG Counselling for 2021-2022 based on existing EWS/OBC reservation criteria.

The apex court has given a green signal to 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Class (OBC) and 10 per cent for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in the All-India Quota (AIQ) seats for the admission process in the NEET as existing criteria this year.

A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna said that it has upheld the constitutional validity of 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Class (OBC) for admission in the NEET-PG.

However, for the EWS category, the Supreme Court said that the 10 per cent criteria, which was notified earlier shall continue to operate for this year so that the admissions process shall not be dislocated for the current academic year.

The Court said that it will hear the matter relating to EWS later and listed it for March 3, 2022, for further hearing.

The Court noted that there is an urgent need to commence the process of counselling and therefore it issued some interim direction.