New Delhi : In a landmark ruling aimed at ensuring transparency and fairness in postgraduate medical admissions, the Supreme Court of India has issued a comprehensive set of 10 directives to reform the NEET-PG counselling process. The Court directed the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to publish raw scores, answer keys, and the normalization formula used in the NEET PG exam—marking a significant victory for aspirants demanding transparency in the multi-shift examination process.
A Division Bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan delivered the judgment while hearing a plea filed by two doctors who alleged that less meritorious candidates secured MD Radiology seats through widespread seat blocking.
While setting aside a Rs 10 lakh compensation awarded by the Allahabad High Court to each of the petitioners, the Apex Court granted Rs 1 lakh each as litigation expenses and chose to focus on systemic reforms. The Court stressed that seat blocking in NEET PG is a deep-rooted malpractice, not an isolated issue, and called for structural changes rather than mere policy tweaks.
Key Directives Issued by the Supreme Court:
- Synchronized National Counselling Calendar
Align All India Quota (AIQ) and State counselling rounds to prevent manipulation and seat blocking. - Mandatory Pre-Counselling Fee Disclosure
All private and deemed universities must disclose complete fee structures—including tuition, hostel, caution deposits, and miscellaneous charges—before counselling. - Centralized Fee Regulation
A national framework under the National Medical Commission (NMC) for regulating fees uniformly. - Post-Round 2 Upgrade Window
Candidates already admitted can upgrade to better seats without allowing fresh entries—ensuring meritorious utilization. - Publication of Raw Scores, Answer Keys, and Normalization Formula
NBE must publicly disclose this information for every NEET PG exam, especially in multi-shift scenarios. - Strict Penalties for Seat Blocking
Including forfeiture of the security deposit, disqualification from future exams for repeat offenders, and blacklisting of complicit colleges. - Aadhaar-Based Seat Tracking System
To eliminate multiple seat holdings and impersonation. - Accountability of State Authorities
State DME officials violating counselling norms may face contempt or disciplinary action. - Uniform Counselling Conduct Code
A common code across states detailing rules for mop-up rounds, eligibility, seat withdrawal, and grievance redressal. - Independent Third-Party Audit Mechanism
Annual review of counselling compliance and admission fairness under the NMC.
Background:
The petitioners had alleged that less meritorious candidates cornered seats during the 2017-18 NEET PG mop-up round after already participating in previous rounds. The Allahabad HC had found merit in their claims and initially awarded them compensation. The Supreme Court, however, noted that although the petitioners completed their PG courses, their case spotlighted the systemic flaws in the counselling framework.
The Apex Court acknowledged that significant reforms have already been implemented—like the introduction of security deposits, online counselling for all rounds, and penalties for non-joining candidates. Yet, it emphasized that transparency, synchronization, and technological oversight are essential to fully eliminate unfair practices like seat blocking.
These reforms are expected to impact upcoming NEET PG counselling cycles, especially as the NBE faces multiple pending pleas demanding transparency and uniformity in the exam process.
