SC permits all eligible OCI in NEET-UG, PG counselling in the general category

The Supreme Court has allowed all eligible OCI candidates to appear in NEET-UG and NEET PG counselling under the general category.

Now, all eligible Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) candidates can participate in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) and NEET PG counselling under the general category, as stated by the Supreme Court.

The interim relief by the top court is only for the academic year 2021-2022 as clarified by the bench comprising Justices Krishna Murari and S A Nazeer.

"The applicants and all other eligible candidates who are similarly situated are permitted to appear in the counselling in the General on par with Indian Citizens to pursue MBBS/BDS courses and other undergraduate/Post Graduate courses in approved/recognised Medical/Dental & other Colleges/Institutes. It is made clear that the aforesaid interim relief is limited to the academic year 2021-2022 only," said the bench.

"We want to clarify one thing. We have made it very clear that it's only for the academic year 2021-22 only. We heard the matter in length while we passed the interim order. We've done this because of the suddenness of the notification. If you would have issued the notification eight-nine months earlier we wouldn't have passed such an order," added the bench.

The court has made it clear that the counselling authorities and the National Testing Agency (NTA) are duty-bound to implement this order. The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for the second week of January 2022. 

The order was passed while hearing a plea filed by the OCI candidates which challenged the notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs stating that treat the OCI candidates at par with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) for admission in NEET. 

Read more:

• SC allows OCI candidates to appear in NEET 2021 counselling in general category
• SC dismisses plea seeking report on alleged malpractices in NEET UG 2021