NEET PG admissions: Supreme Court agrees to hear EWS quota plea on Wednesday

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea related to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota in connection with the NEET PG admissions on Wednesday, after the Centre sought an urgent hearing in the matter.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) N V Ramana and justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared in the court on behalf of the Centre, that the matter pertains to admissions to post-graduate medical courses and that students have been facing difficulties.

“If it is a three-judge bench matter, then it will be listed before a three-judge bench tomorrow,” the CJI said.

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud told the Centre on Monday that a bench of requisite strength can be set up by the CJI as the EWS quota matter is being heard by a three-judge bench.

Large-scale protests have been held by resident doctors of various hospitals under the banner of the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) in Delhi and other parts of the country over a delay in the NEET-PG counselling, which has been postponed due to the Centre deciding to revisit the criteria for the determination of the EWS quota.