Can’t put career of 2L students at risk

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking postponement of the NEET-PG 2024 examination, which is scheduled for Sunday. The petitioner also challenged the decision of the National Board of Exams to hold the exam in two batches and apply a normalisation formula.

A bench of CJI DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala, Manoj Misra refused to entertain the petition. "So many problems are there in the country, now to reschedule the PG Exam," CJI Chandrachud said as soon as the matter was taken.

“It was rescheduled once,” Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for the petitioners, submitted, referring to the initial postponement of the exam from June 22.

When the bench expressed disinclination, Hegde said that he was pressing only the second prayer (Direct NBE to conduct the exam in a single batch to ensure a uniform and fair testing environment for all candidates).

The bench pointed out that only 5 out of over 2 lakh students have filed the petition. Hegde said that however the demand is backed by several students and that he has received about 50,000 messages.

“At the behest of 5 petitioners, we can’t put the career of 2 lakh students at jeopardy. Let there be certainty,” the CJI said. “As a matter of principle, we will not reschedule. There are two lakh students and 4 lakh parents who will weep over the weekend,” the CJI added.

As regards the concerns expressed by the petitioners regarding normalisation, CJI agreed that normalisation may not be the perfect soluction.

CJI added that we should look at practical solutions in a complex and diverse society.

The petition was filed raising two primary concerns. First, that many NEET-PG 2024 candidates have been allotted test centres which are inconvenient for them to reach. Second, that the exam is slated to be held in two batches and the normalization formula is unknown to candidates, which gives rise to apprehensions of arbitrariness.