Supreme Court Dismisses Plea Against NMC's Decision to Skip NEET-Super Speciality Exam in 2024

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has rejected a plea challenging the National Medical Commission's (NMC) decision not to conduct the NEET-Super Speciality (NEET-SS) examination in 2024. This decision comes after a petition was filed by 13 aspiring super-speciality doctors who sought to challenge the NMC's move.

The NEET-SS is an entrance examination that allows doctors with postgraduate degrees like MD, MS, and DNB to gain admission into super-speciality medical courses. The exam is a crucial step for many medical professionals looking to specialize further in their fields.

In July 2024, a bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, sought responses from the Centre and other relevant parties regarding the petition. The petitioners, led by Rahul Balwan and 12 others, argued that the NMC's decision to skip the exam this year was a violation of an earlier judgment which mandated that the NEET-SS must be held annually. They also pointed out that the Supreme Court had previously established a fixed time schedule for admissions to super-speciality courses.

The petitioners' lawyer contended that the NMC's decision was influenced by delays in medical admissions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in previous years. However, the Supreme Court ultimately dismissed the plea, effectively upholding the NMC's decision.

According to news reports, the NEET-SS examination is now expected to be conducted in January 2025, offering some clarity to aspiring candidates. The Supreme Court had earlier allowed the petitioners to include the National Board of Examinations (NBE) as a party to the case and had listed the matter for hearing on July 26, 2024.

The rejection of the plea means that doctors aspiring to pursue super-speciality courses will have to wait until 2025 to take the NEET-SS exam.