The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday issued a crucial notice to key figures in the medical education sector—the Chairman of the NEET PG Counselling Board and the Director of Rajasthan Medical and Health Services—following a petition that challenges the procedures adopted in the third round of NEET PG 2024 counselling.
The petitioners, a group of MBBS graduate doctors who participated in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Postgraduate) 2024, voiced their concerns over how seats were allocated in the latest counselling round. Represented by counsel Tanvi Dubey, the doctors argued that the seats remaining vacant after the third round were not made available to all qualified candidates possessing MBBS degrees, contrary to expectations.
According to Dubey, these seats, rather than being opened for a broader pool of deserving candidates, are set to be filled during the stray round of counselling. This process excludes many high-ranking candidates, allocating seats instead to those with much lower qualifications. “This creates a significant disparity and disadvantages meritorious candidates who could have secured these positions under fairer circumstances,” Dubey explained.
The petitioners further expressed distress over the possibility that they might be forced to settle for the same medical specialization without the chance to switch, impacting their career trajectory indefinitely. “They are either being denied a seat altogether or forced to accept the same seat at an exorbitant cost, which is not just unfair but also unfeasible for many,” Dubey added.
The urgency of the situation is underscored by the court’s decision to list the matter for a hearing on Friday, given that the seat allotment is scheduled for Saturday. This rapid response highlights the court’s recognition of the potential impact on the future careers of affected candidates.
