Safiya Malik

On January 3, the Supreme Court directed the Union of India to convene a stakeholder meeting involving all States, Union Territories, and private medical colleges to address issues concerning the filling of vacancies in NEET-Super Speciality Courses for the upcoming academic year. The Court further instructed the Union to finalize its decision on the matter within three months, noting the need to prevent any delays that could affect the admission process.

The Additional Solicitor General, Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Union of India, informed the Court of the formation of a Committee chaired by the Director General of Health Services. This Committee had been constituted pursuant to the Court’s directions to deliberate on the varied concerns raised by stakeholders, including State Governments, Union Territories, the National Medical Council, the National Board of Examinations, and private medical institutions. The Committee’s primary objective was to gather inputs from the various entities and formulate a coherent framework to address the underlying issues.

The ASG submitted that the Committee had finalized its report and submitted it for consideration. However, she added that the concerns raised by several stakeholders required further deliberation. She proposed that the Union of India organize a meeting with representatives from all relevant parties to assess the Committee’s recommendations and develop a unified proposal for submission to the Court. She pointd out that this step would ensure that the administrative measures adopted were reflective of the diverse interests involved.

After examining the submissions, the Bench, comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K.V. Viswanathan, recorded that while the submission of the Committee’s report marked a significant development, it was imperative for the Union to undertake broader consultations to address the concerns raised by all stakeholders. The Court directed the Union to convene a meeting with representatives from all States, Union Territories, and private medical colleges to deliberate on the Committee’s findings.

In its order, the Court stated: “We, therefore, direct the Union of India to hold a meeting with all the stakeholders, including representatives from all the States/UTs and the private medical colleges to consider the report of the Expert Committee.” The Bench instructed the Union of India to finalize its decision within three months, specifically noting that delays in resolving the matter could lead to complications in the admission process for the upcoming academic session.

During the hearing, counsel for the petitioners contended that the delay in implementing the Court’s previous orders had already created uncertainties in the medical education framework, particularly concerning admissions. It was submitted that the lack of clarity on procedural changes had adversely impacted students and educational institutions. In response, the Additional Solicitor General assured the Court that all necessary steps would be taken to ensure compliance with the timeline and that the Union of India was fully committed to resolving the matter promptly.

The Bench further directed the matter to be listed in the fourth week of April 2025 for reviewing the status of compliance. The Court also recorded its expectation that the consultations would address all concerns raised by the stakeholders, including those related to procedural transparency, the allocation of seats, and the role of private medical institutions.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for the fourth week of April 2025.

Case Title: Kevin Joy & Ors. v. The Government of India & Ors.
Case Number: W.P.(C) No. 106/2023
Bench: Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K.V. Viswanathan

[View/Download order]