NEETPG 2024 – MP High Court Halts Forced Resignations and Deposit Forfeiture Amid 2nd Round Counselling Delays

On January 10, 2025, the Madhya Pradesh High Court at Jabalpur issued a significant order in Writ Petition No. 1207 of 2025, filed by Dr. Yash Dubey and others against the Union of India and others in NEETPG 2024 Case.

The petitioners, all MBBS graduates, had appeared for the NEETPG 2024 examination and secured eligibility for counselling at both All India Quota (AIQ) and State levels. However, the results of the second round of NEETPG counselling were stayed by an interim order in W.P. No. 162/2025.

Key Issues Highlighted in the Petition:

• The petitioners contended that due to the stay, they were at risk of being forced to resign from their AIQ R2 seats and deposit the security amount by January 14, 2025, as per existing guidelines.
• They argued that this would compel them to forfeit their AIQ R2 seats and financial deposits without the clarity of knowing the results of the second round of counselling.

Court’s Directions:

After considering the submissions, the bench of Hon’ble Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Hon’ble Justice Anuradha Shukla issued the following directions:

• Respondents were directed not to compel the petitioners to resign from AIQ Round 2 seats until the results of the second-round counselling are declared.
• The respondents were also restrained from requiring forfeiture of the security deposit until the state announces the second-round counselling results.

This order takes into account the unprecedented situation caused by the stay on counselling results and provides interim relief to affected candidates.

Implications of this order

The High Court’s directive prevents unnecessary resignation and financial loss for candidates caught in this procedural delay. It ensures that medical aspirants are not unfairly penalized while waiting for the resolution of the ongoing legal process.

The case highlights the challenges faced by NEETPG candidates during counselling, emphasizing the need for smoother processes and timely resolutions.

This petition has now been disposed of with the court’s aforementioned directions. Further developments are awaited as the NEETPG 2024 counselling progresses.

The Medical Bulletin