New Delhi: The post-graduate National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Super Specialty (NEET-SS) 2021 will be conducted as per the old pattern, informed the Central Government and National Board of Examinations to Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Reportedly, the modified pattern will be given effect to only from the academic year 2022-2023, further added the Centre.
A bench comprising Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice Vikram Nath and Justice BV Nagarathna was hearing a group of writ petitions filed by PG doctors challenging the changes in syllabus and pattern made for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Super Specialty (NEET-SS) 2021. The petitioners have argued that the last-minute changes brought much after the notification of exam dates are uninformed which can prove to be drawback for the candiates.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Central government had filed an affidavit before the Apex court and said that it has decided to postpone the PG NEET-SS 2021 for two months.
As a result, it will now be held on January 10, 11 in 2022 in order to provide sufficient time to all the eligible candidates for the preparation of the entrance examination under modified pattern. The exam will be held for admission to over 4,200 seats for DM (Doctorate of Medicine), M.Ch (Master of Surgery) and DrNB (Doctorate of National Board).
The exam pattern of the NEET-SS was changed to bring more flexibility for the students and to ensure that they are tested on the basis of the courses which they already know, stated the Centre in the affidavit. The revised pattern will also ensure that the Super Specialty seats will not go vacant, added reports.
Prior to this, a notification for the examination was issued on July 23, 2021, however, on August 31, another notification was issued changing the pattern of the exam when only two months remained before NEET-SS 2021 exams scheduled to be held on November 13 and 14.
The petition was filed by 41 qualified post-graduate doctors from across the country who sought direction for striking down the changes in the exam pattern, further added reports. It has been alleged that the exam pattern for the NEET-SS course has been changed only to help those who have done post-graduation in general medicine at the cost of other disciplines.
The plea further said that as per the prevailing pattern from 2018 to 2020, 60 per cent marks were allotted from questions in the super-speciality while 40 per cent distributed for questions from feeder courses.
However, the whole of questions for the critical care super-speciality will be drawn from the general medicines now.
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