The NEET-PG 2023 exam is set on March 3, however doctors who are candidates for the test filed petitions on February 27 asking for a three-month delay. 

Candidates who complained that they were having less time to study for exams since their internships were still ongoing were denied the right to file their petitions by a bench made up of Justice S. Ravindra Bhat and Justice Dipankar Datta. The bench had scheduled the matter for today to receive the National Board of Examinations' response last Friday.

Senior Attorney Gopal Sankaranarayanan, speaking on behalf of the petitioners and claiming that almost 1.3 lakh of the over 2 lakh candidates who have enrolled for NEET-PG are graduates who failed to advance to the postgraduate level in the previous terms made this claim at the outset. 

Aishwarya Bhati, an additional solicitor general, argued on behalf of the NBE that the dates were revealed six months prior. Around two lakh three thousand students applied during the first window. After the deadline for internship applications was extended, just 6,000 students applied. So, a minority of people are making the demand.

In petitions submitted through Attorney Charu Mathur and Dubey Law Associates, the petitioners contest the National Board of Examination's (NBE) decision to inform candidates of the updated qualifying requirements as late as February 7, 2023. The petitioners claim that the act is unfair, arbitrary, and does not provide them enough time to study for the exam, which is set for March 5, 2023. 

According to the petitioners, the National Board of Examination issued the notice without first consulting any of the State Medical Councils regarding one of the most crucial eligibility requirements. The argument is that the fact that NBE changed the eligibility requirements twice plainly demonstrates its control and poor management in not contacting the state medical boards in advance and denying candidates of any opportunity to prepare.

As a result, the petitioners ask for a three-month delay in the NEET-PG exam because counselling cannot begin before August 11, 2023. 

Two sets of petitions have been submitted seeking delay of NEET-PG 2023-24 by Ms. Charu Mathur and Mr. Milind Kumar.

Case Title: Ganesh Pawar And Ors. v. Union of India And Ors. 
Citation: WP(C) No. 247/2023