New Delhi: The Union government on Wednesday requested the Supreme Court to allow it to proceed with the NEET-PG counselling while it continues hearing the issues in the case.
After resident doctors took to the streets over the delay in the NEET-PG counselling, the Union government on January 3 urged the apex court to take up petitions challenging the criteria for economically weaker sections (EWS) quota in the NEET-PG (all-India quota) admissions.
According to LiveLaw, solicitor general Tushar Mehta apprised the bench of the affidavit filed by the Union government on December 31 accepting the recommendations made by an expert committee to retain the existing criteria of Rs 8 lakh annual income for EWS reservation in the ongoing admissions.
“Let us proceed with the counselling. Let that stage be over. Your lordships may start hearing the matter in the meanwhile and we can assist the court in great detail. We need doctors and their concerns are genuine. As a society, we cannot go into lengthy arguments now. We said we will revisit and the report has been submitted now”, the solicitor general submitted, as per the report.
The hearing is scheduled to continue on January 6.
The doctors took to the streets in November-end after the previous hearing of the Supreme Court – when the Union government had sought four weeks to review the EWS quota in NEET PG 2021 counselling. The government had informed the court that it would not proceed with counselling until the petitions are dealt with. They withdrew from outpatient clinics, then from routine services, such as patient care in the wards, and planned surgeries. Even emergency services were suspended.
The petitions have challenged the July 29 notification of the Medical Counselling Committee providing 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes and 10% for the economically weaker sections in the non-reserved category.
“Let us proceed with the counselling. Let that stage be over. Your lordships may start hearing the matter in the meanwhile and we can assist the court in great detail,” solicitor general Tushar Mehta said.