In a significant move to address the acute shortage of doctors in India, the Supreme Court has directed the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to conduct a special round of counselling to fill vacant medical seats for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate courses. The order was issued in response to a plea seeking directions for a stray/special counselling round to allocate seats left vacant even after the fifth round of counselling.
A Bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan observed the critical need to prevent medical seats from going to waste, given the country’s dire need for more doctors.
“Taking into consideration the peculiar facts and circumstances and further that the precious medical seats should not go in waste, when the country is facing acute shortage of doctors, we are inclined to extend the period by way of a last chance,” the Court stated in its order.
The Bench directed the MCC and State Admission Authorities to conduct a fresh stray/special counselling session and complete the admission process by December 30, 2024. It emphasized that no college would be allowed to admit students directly, ensuring the process remains transparent and centralized.
Additionally, the Court clarified that the special counselling round should not disturb admissions already finalized. Admissions will only be made from the list of waitlisted candidates. The Bench also instructed that vacant NRI quota seats should be converted into the general category and filled through the State Admission Authorities.
The decision came in the case of Era Lucknow Medical College vs. State of UP, highlighting the judiciary’s active role in addressing systemic issues in medical education and healthcare infrastructure.
This timely intervention seeks to ensure that every available medical seat contributes to the healthcare sector, bolstering the nation’s efforts to combat its doctor shortage.
Case: Era Lucknow Medical College vs State of UP – Available on LAWFYI.IO
