SC seeks DGHS response on pleas for taking part in mop-up round of NEET-PG counselling

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) on petitions filed by various groups of doctors seeking participation in mop-up round of NEET-PG 2021-22 counselling.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing some petitioners, submitted before a bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud that after the second round of counselling, his clients were allotted the seats and later, the DGHS issued two notices to bring into the pool some seats which were not available to them.

He said that hundreds of seats were added to the pool and as a result, people not on merit, were given seats, which were not available to his clients.

A counsel, representing another set of students, pointed at the trend of blocking of seats, due to which there were over 6,000 seats in mop-up round.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the DGHS, however, said that the court should not allow any fresh registration in the stray round and added that only 150 new seats were added. She said there were only two options available that either the seats be allowed to remain vacant or added in the mop-up round.

The bench, also comprising Justice Surya Kant, asked Bhati to file a reply on the petitions filed by the doctors. Bhati contended that this is for the first time the authorities have added new seats in the mop-up round, and emphasised on the need for doctors amid Covid.

Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, representing another set of petitioners, submitted that people who were much lower in rank than his clients will get a better disciplines.

The bench noted that staying the process of counselling will be a very extreme step.

"If we cancel the seats, then we will have to cancel all the admissions, which would further delay the whole process...".

A group of petitioners contended that after round one of the counselling, they joined a discipline, but were not allowed to upgrade in round two. They sought permission to appear in the mop-up round.