Summary
Applicants sought a further five-percentile reduction in NEET-PG 2021 qualifying thresholds after the government had already lowered them by fifteen percentile points. Taking account of counselling results, the availability of eligible candidates, educational standards and the delayed academic session, the Court found no manifest arbitrariness in refusing another reduction and dismissed the application.
Issues
- Whether remaining postgraduate medical vacancies required a further reduction of NEET-PG 2021 qualifying thresholds.
Provisions considered
- Proviso to Regulation 9(3), Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000The discretionary power to lower qualifying marks did not require a further reduction on the facts, after the government had already exercised it in consultation with the regulator. (¶ 9)
Held
- Determining a qualifying threshold involved balancing vacant seats against educational standards, timely commencement and certainty in admissions. A further ad hoc reduction was not justified merely because some seats remained vacant; the refusal disclosed no manifest arbitrariness on this record. (¶¶ 7, 9)
- The government had already reduced the thresholds by fifteen percentile points. Counselling substantially reduced the All India quota vacancies, other counselling was continuing, many remaining vacancies were in pre- and para-clinical subjects, and the academic session was already delayed. These circumstances supported refusal of further relaxation. (¶¶ 5, 7, 9)
- The decision concerning vacant BDS seats in Harshit Agarwal turned on materially different circumstances, including the regulator’s recommendation and the treatment of the available seat-to-candidate ratio. It did not compel the same relief for these postgraduate medical admissions. (¶ 8)
Result
Miscellaneous application dismissed. The impleadment application was disposed of. No further reduction of the qualifying percentile or consequential admission direction was granted.