New Delhi: In a significant move to address the ongoing shortage of doctors in India, the Supreme Court has ordered the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to conduct a special round of counselling for filling vacant medical seats in National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate courses. The apex court’s decision highlights the critical need for more medical professionals in the country.
A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan directed that vacant NRI seats should also be converted into general category seats and filled through the State Admission Authorities. The bench emphasized that these seats should not go to waste, given the urgent shortage of doctors in India.
Key Directives from the Supreme Court:
- The court instructed the Admission Authorities to conduct a fresh stray or special counselling round for the remaining vacant seats and complete the admission process by December 30, 2024.
- It directed that no medical college would be allowed to admit students directly, and the admissions should only be handled through the State Admission Authorities.
- The process should not interfere with already finalised admissions, and new admissions will only be made from the waitlist.
The decision came in response to a plea seeking directions for conducting a special counselling round to fill seats that remained vacant despite five previous rounds of counselling. This move is seen as a final opportunity to address the urgent need for medical professionals in the country.
