Supreme Court dismisses plea against the decision to reduce NEET-PG 2023 exam qualifying percentile to zero

Today, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by a lawyer against the decision of the Union Government to reduce the cut-off for post-graduate medical college admissions via the NEET-PG 2023 exam to zero percentile. The matter was heard by a three-judge bench including Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra. The matter was not listed for the hearing today as per the Supreme Court’s cause list but the top Court agreed to hear the matter after the lawyer mentioned the case for urgent listing before the SC bench. 

During the court proceedings, the CJI asked the lawyer who mentioned the case, “You are not an aspirant. How are you affected?” To which, the lawyer replied that the decision would affect the overall quality of medical services. While hearing the matter, the bench observed that the petitioner has no locus standi in order to challenge the decision. It said, “You have no locus… absent any interest of the petitioner in this case, the petition is dismissed.” The decision to reduce the NEET-PG qualifying percentile was given by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and was announced on September 22 by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC).

The notice from MCC reads, “The qualifying percentile for…NEET PG Counselling 2023 has been reduced to ‘ZERO’ across all categories by MoHFW. In this regard, it is mentioned that Fresh Registration & Choice Filling for Round-3 of PG Counselling will be opened again for candidates who have become eligible after reduction of percentile.”