Spelling big relief for doctors, the Supreme Court on Friday, in an interim order, has announced that it will allow NEET-PG Counselling for 2021-2022 based on existing EWS, OBC reservation. The Supreme Court said that it will allow 27% reservation for Other Backward Class (OBC) and 10% for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in the All-India Quota (AIQ) seats for admission in the NEET for all medical seats as existing criteria this year.

The apex court has listed petitions challenging ₹8 lakh income criteria for EWS on March 5 for final adjudication. “EWS criteria for academic year 2021-22 for NEET-PG will be as notified, and for future it will be subject to final adjudication," Supreme Court said.

A bench of justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna said that detailed reasons for the interim order will follow and the counselling for the NEET-PG for the academic year 2021-22 will proceed as per the criteria already notified.

The bench said that validity of criteria of ₹8 lakh for determination of EWS for future years will be subject to final adjudication of the batch of petitions and listed the pleas for final hearing on March 5.

Meanwhile, just yesterday the Centre told the Supreme Court that the introduction of OBC and EWS reservations after the issuance of NEET-PG exam notification does not amount to "changing the rules of the game" midway.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told a bench of justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna that the submission that OBC reservation is unconstitutional is legally unsustainable.

"First, I would like to dispel the confusion that there is a change in rules of the game midway. We are not changing the goalpost. There is no change in the rules of the game. The regime which is the subject matter of this challenge is already implemented since 2019," Mehta submitted.

Justifying the application of ₹8 lakh income criteria for the EWS category, Mehta said the decision was arrived at after due deliberation by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. He contended that performance of a candidate in an examination doesn't depend on the reservation and a student has to perform his best.

(With inputs from agencies)