Will implement changes in NEET-Super Speciality exams from next year: Centre to SC

A day after the top court told the government to fall in line, the Centre on Wednesday said that it would implement changes in the examination pattern of NEET Super Speciality from the next academic year.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench presided over by Justice D Y Chandrachud that keeping in view the larger interest of students, the government has decided that revised NEET SS exam syllabus will be introduced from 2022-23 and the new question pattern will be applicable from next year.

The examination for this year would be held as per the old pattern, she said. The decision was taken in consultation with the National Medical Commission and the National Board of Examination.

The bench, which had earlier been very critical of the government's decision to introduce a new pattern, appreciated the stand taken by the Centre, saying that the government has been very fair.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing a petitioner, submitted that this should not in any way imply that the court has accepted the revised pattern exam for next year.

The bench said it would leave open the question of the validity of changes in the pattern of examinations.

The court disposed of petitions filed by a group of Post Graduate doctors.

On Tuesday, the court gave one day's time to the Centre to "think over and fall in line" to restore the old syllabus, saying, “If there is obduracy, arms of law are long enough to prevent that”.

The petitioners challenged the validity of the August 31, 2021 notification, changing the pattern of the exam, by which the entirety of questions for the critical care super speciality will be drawn from general medicines, leaving the candidates from other disciplines in a difficult situation.

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