Centre to revisit INR 8 lakh criteria for determining EWS for NEET Counselling 2021

After justifying the INR 8 lakh annual income limit for determining the EWS category for NEET counselling, now Centre has decided to revisit this criterion.

The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that it will take four weeks to take a fresh decision on the annual income to determine the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category for National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) counselling. 

The Centre has informed the top court that it has decided to revisit this criterion of INR 8 lakh annual income limit for determining the EWS category and the Solicitor General has assured the court that NEET UG Counselling 2021 won't take place until the Centre takes a decision on this matter. Hence, NEET Counselling 2021 is once again postponed for at least four weeks.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to justify how the same income criteria can be applied all across India for deciding the EWS category and how can a person with INR 8 lakh annual income in rural areas can be equated to the one with the same earning in a metro city. 

The Centre had justified the criteria earlier by filing an affidavit before the court that stated that the amount set for determining EWS criteria is rational and in keeping with Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution.

This year the admission process to UG and PG medical courses through NEET UG 2021 and NEET PG 2021 has met an unprecedented delay due to many factors. Doctors all across the country are demanding to speed up the admission process but the process is taking too long. NEET PG Counselling 2021 is also on hold due to SC pending order on OBC (Other Backward Class) and EWS reservation in All India Quota (AIQ) for medical admission.

Read more:

• NEET reservations: Centre justifies INR 8 lakh annual income limit for EWS category
• NEET Counselling 2021: SC to hear today pleas challenging OBC, EWS reservation in AIQ