The Supreme Court has given notice in a written petition filed by some aspirants of the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test Super Specialty (NEET SS), seeking an injunction to restrict implementation of the new exam pattern.
Meanwhile, the plea also contests the National Medical Commission’s proposal to remove MD radiation radiotherapy/oncology as an eligible specialty qualification for DM Medical Oncology’s superspecialty, Live Law reported.
According to the new pattern, there will be 150 questions from the general component of the primary broad specialty subject and from all subspecialty components of the primary broad specialty subject.
The plea argues that the former pattern has a 40 percent mix of questions from all broad specialties and 60 percent critical care, giving aspirants a level playing field. However, the new pattern forces all candidates from broad specialties to write a single document containing 100 percent questions from general medicine.
“Change distorts the level playing field for the candidates belonging to different broad specialties as it gives some an undue advantage and lowers the chance of others to excel in the exam,” read the PIL filed by attorney Javedur Rahman.
The petitioners called the new pattern a complete waste of time, resources and effort by the candidates who have been preparing for NEET SS for years. Before Judges DY Chandrachud and PS Narasimha, senior advocate Shyam Divan argued for the petitioners that the petitioners had previously approached authorities to make changes to the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulation 2021 published by the National Medical Commission, but to no avail.
He added that the changed pattern layers affect the prospects of MD Radiation Oncologists to do their Super Specialization in DM Medical Oncology and of MD Anesthesiologists to continue their Super Specialization in DM Critical Care.
The Supreme Court had previously criticized the central government for making last-minute changes to the NEET SS 2021. After this, the government had ensured that the exam pattern would not be introduced until the new year.
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