New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to examine whether a General Medicine PG seat occupied by a NEET-PG candidate could be converted into a Radiodiagnosis seat.
The order came in an unusual situation where the petitioner, already admitted in Radiodiagnosis, had to surrender his seat after another candidate with a higher claim under institutional reservation became eligible when the cut-off percentile was lowered. By then, the petitioner had already spent six months studying Radiodiagnosis.
A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Atul S Chandurkar observed,
“In view of a rather extraordinary situation, the National Medical Commission is directed to consider if the seat occupied by the petitioner in General Medicine can be converted as the seat for Radio Diagnosis. This direction, only to consider, is in view of the fact that the petitioner has spent six months pursuing Radio Diagnosis and also for the reason that he is meritorious.”
At the same time, the Court clarified that the rights of the other candidate (respondent no. 4), now eligible for the lone Radiodiagnosis seat at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), Imphal, would not be disturbed. The NMC is expected to communicate its advice by August 29, 2025.
Case Background
- The petitioner, a Senior Casualty Medical Officer at JNIMS, was initially selected for the PG Radiodiagnosis course under institutional reservation in the 3rd round of counselling.
- Under the 1st Amended Rules of 2022 and Reservation Scheme of 2022, such a seat must be surrendered if a Senior Resident later becomes eligible.
- After the percentile was lowered, respondent no. 4, a Senior Resident in Radiodiagnosis at JNIMS, became eligible during the Stray Round and staked claim.
- The High Court (Single Bench and later Division Bench) ruled in her favour, directing authorities to allot her the Radiodiagnosis seat and adjust the petitioner to General Medicine.
While the High Court maintained that the respondent’s claim was valid and timely, the petitioner moved the Supreme Court against being shifted.
SC’s Balancing Order
Recognising the merit of both candidates, the Apex Court suggested a possible solution without affecting the respondent’s entitlement: converting the General Medicine seat (occupied by the petitioner) into a Radiodiagnosis seat, subject to NMC’s feasibility review.
