According to latest updates, the Centre has told the Supreme court of India that it has decided to postpone the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) PG Super Speciality exam by two months. It shall now be held on 11-12 January 2022.
This decision has come in light of the new syllabus and is an initiative by the Central government to provide students ample time for preparation, according to Central government reports.
In addition, while defending the change in syllabus, the Centre has also mentioned in an affidavit that these changes to the exam pattern were taken as a measure to 'minimise wastage of seats'.
The NEET SS 2021 examination was originally supposed to be held on 13 and 14 November and this sudden change in dates have resulted in a lot of backlash from students. While the exam dates were notified on 23 July, the NEET SS information bulletin only posted the change in the exam pattern on 31 August.
This sudden change had also resulted in a plea by 41 post-graduate doctors from across the country, asking the arbitrary changes to be struck down, just before a month was left for the medical entrance. They also contended that these changes were made to favour general medicine candidates and will only lead to producing doctors who do not have complete passion for super specialties.
Upon the hearing of the matter on 27 September, the top court had also reproached the National Board of Examination (NBE), National Medical Commission (NMC) and Central government for taking young doctors in the making for granted and making last minute changes to the syllabus.
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