NEET MDS 2024: Supreme Court issues notice on plea to postpone exam to July

NEET MDS 2024: The Supreme Court has issued a notice seeking the postponement of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test – Master of Dental Surgery (NEET MDS 2024). A petition was filed in the top court to direct the National Medical Commission (NMC) to postpone the NEET MDS exam date to July and extend the internship cut-off date.

A bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra heard the matter. The All India Students’ Union (AISU) also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and the National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to reschedule the exam.

The students group said the decision will affect over 25,000 NEET MDS aspirants. It also pointed out that the NEET PG 2024, which was to be held on March 3, was postponed to July 7, and the candidates were informed six months before the exam. However, the postponement of the NEET MDS 2024 exam date from February 9 to March 18 in January, just two months before the exam.

NMC had announced the internship cut-off date for NEET PG to be August 15, whereas the deadline for NEET MDS is March 31. The NEET MDS 2024 registration’s last date is February 19.

Why are aspirants demanding postponement?

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) conducts a standard NEET PG and MDS counselling process. The admission process, on the other hand, will commence only after the competition of the NEET PG internship deadline in August.

Last year, the Telangana High Court, after directing the officials to reschedule the NEET MDS exam said “from the next academic year the respondent shall take steps to see that all the candidates who have completed MBBS/BDS course across the country a uniform cut off date be fixed and enough care is taken to ensure that sufficient time is granted to all the students to prepare for NEET,” the Live Law quoted the order.

Senior advocate appearing for the petitioners also informed the apex court that several aspirants will not be eligible to apply as the internship will be completed post March 31. “Taking cognizance of the same, the bench agreed to issue notice, however, it was not inclined to grant an interim relief considering “It’s only a matter of cut-off,” the report said.