The Supreme Court of India has recently dismissed pleas questioning the decision of the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to conduct The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG 2023) on March 5, 2023. MBBS doctors had requested postponement of the NEET PG entrance test 2023, noting a lack of time for practice and a five months gap between examination and counselling dates.

On behalf of the petitioners, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan said that usually, the gap between the internship deadline and the NEET examination is never more than two months.

Petitioners had earlier told that even if NEET is carried out on March 5, counselling can start only after August 11, the internship cut-off deadline, as the certificate is to be submitted during the admission procedure.

Aishwarya Bhati, Additional Solicitor General of India, said that NBE wants to hold counselling in July without pausing for the August 11 deadline for internship completion, and students without certificates will be permitted to participate provisionally.

She added that during the first application window of NEET PG, around 2.03 lakh candidates had registered, and only 6,000 were in the second window. The request to delay NEET PG is by a minority, she added.