Changes in NEET super specialty exam pattern to be implemented from next year, Centre tells SC

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that in the interest of students, it has decided to implement changes in the pattern of the NEET-Super Speciality examination from academic year 2022-23. A bench of justices D Y Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and B V Nagarathna recorded the submission of Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati and disposed of pleas of students who challenged the Centre’s earlier decision to implement changes in the examination pattern of NEET-Super Speciality from this year. The bench, however, said that it is leaving the question open on the validity of the changes made in the pattern of the examination. On Tuesday, the top court had given one last chance to the Centre to put its house in order and take a call on reversing the changes made to the NEET-Super Speciality examination 2021. An anguished top court had said that the medical profession and education have become a business, and now, the regulation of medical education has also gone that way which is the nation’s tragedy. The apex court was not satisfied with the justification given by the Centre, National Board of Examination (NBE) and the National Medical Commission (NMC) for making the last-minute changes after the notification for the examination was issued in July. The top court was hearing a batch of pleas of 41 post-graduate doctors and others who had challenged the last-minute changes made to the syllabus after the notification was issued on July 23 for the test to be held on 13 and 14November.