In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of India has laid down stringent reforms to tackle the rampant issue of seat blocking in NEET-PG counselling. This move aims to bring transparency, fairness, and accountability to the medical admissions process—both at the postgraduate and potentially the undergraduate levels.
What Is Seat Blocking?
Seat blocking occurs when a candidate accepts a medical seat temporarily, only to abandon it later, often manipulating the system by holding multiple seats or disrupting availability for genuine aspirants. The Supreme Court has now classified this act as malpractice and has ordered strict penalties against it.
Supreme Court Directives for NEET-PG Counselling
1. Transparency Is Now Mandatory
NTA and MCC must publish raw scores, answer keys, and normalization formulas used during NEET-PG admissions.
This ensures merit-based selection and restores public confidence in the process.
2. Penalties for Seat Blocking
Candidates who block seats and later abandon them will face:
Forfeiture of security deposit
Disqualification from future NEET-PG exams
Blacklisting of participating/complicit colleges
3. Aadhaar-Based Seat Tracking
Candidates’ allotments will now be linked with Aadhaar to prevent multiple seat holdings across AIQ and State rounds.
4. Nationwide Synchronized Counselling Calendar
A unified timeline for both All India Quota (AIQ) and State counselling rounds will be implemented to avoid overlaps and manipulation.
5. Fee Regulation by NMC
The National Medical Commission (NMC) will regulate all medical college fees, including tuition, hostel, and caution deposits.
Colleges must disclose full fee structures before counselling begins.
Supreme Court’s Observations on Systemic Flaws
The Court strongly criticized the existing counselling system, pointing to:
Poor governance
Lack of transparency
Failure to implement penalties
It stated that such flaws harm genuine aspirants and erode public trust in the country’s medical education system.
What Does This Mean for NEET UG Counselling?
Though the Supreme Court’s ruling specifically addresses NEET-PG, it sets a strong precedent for NEET-UG counselling as well. Here’s how it could impact MBBS/BDS admissions:
1. Aadhaar-Based Seat Tracking for NEET-UG
Likely to be implemented to prevent candidates from occupying multiple seats during UG counselling rounds.
2. Seat Blocking Penalties in UG Admissions
Similar penalties may apply:
Forfeiture of security deposits
Disqualification from future NEET-UG exams
Action against non-compliant institutions
3. Unified UG Counselling Calendar
A synchronized calendar for AIQ and State rounds may become mandatory.
4. Mandatory Fee Disclosure by UG Colleges
All deemed/private colleges must publicly declare fee structures before counselling.
Final Thoughts: A Step Towards Fair Medical Admissions
The Supreme Court’s intervention is a much-needed reform in India’s medical education landscape. It seeks to protect meritocracy, deter manipulative practices, and restore transparency in both PG and UG admissions. Aspiring doctors, parents, and institutions must now stay informed and comply with these regulations to ensure ethical and merit-based selection.
