THE Centre assured the Supreme Court on Monday that the counselling process of NEET-PG will not commence till the top court decides the challenge to 27 per cent reservation for OBC and 10 per cent for EWS category in PG All India Quota seats (MBBS/BDS and MD/MS/MDS) from the current academic session. A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and B V Nagarathna recorded the assurance given by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) K M Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, and observed that students will be in serious problem if counselling goes ahead as scheduled. The assurance by Nataraj was given after senior advocate Arvind Dattar, appearing for some NEET candidates, mentioned that as per the schedule announced by the Director General of Health Services, the counselling process for the NEET-PG is to commence from October 25.

 

The Solicitor General said that by the time the court decides the pending batch of petitions, challenging the July 29 notification, introducing the reservation from academic year, the entire process of admission will be over and serious prejudice would be caused to students. The bench said that it is taking the word on record.