NRI/OCI candidates of NEET-UG to appear for counseling in General category

The Madras High Court permitted the OCI candidates to appear as General candidates for counselling for 2021-22, and asked the relevant authorities to ‘treat at par with Indian citizens’, said the report

PRAVASISAMWAD.COM

Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) candidates who wrote National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET-UG) for admission in medicine course in medical colleges in India, have been asked to appear for counseling in General category for 2021-22, Live law reported.

The Madras High Court permitted the OCI candidates to appear as General candidates for counselling in general category for 2021-22, and asked the relevant authorities to ‘treat at par with Indian citizens’, said the report.

In an interim order of the court allowed the OCI candidates to participate for the NEET-UG counselling in the general category for the year 2021-22 instead of the category reserved for NRIs or foreign nationals.

Hearing the case Justice V. Parthiban, took into consideration a similar order passed by the Supreme Court of India on September 30.

The court order made clear that the aforesaid interim relief is confined to the Academic Year 2021-2022 only

“Having heard learned senior counsel for the petitioners and Ms. Aishwarya Bhati, learned Additional Solicitor General for the respondent-Union of India we are of the view that at least for the Academic Year i.e. 2021-2022, the respondents have to consider allotment of seats to the petitioners to pursue MBBS course in medical colleges, which seats Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) were eligible for before the issuance of the impugned Notification dated 4th March, 2021 subject to their eligibility.

Therefore, we direct the respondent-National Testing Agency to declare the result of the examination i.e. NEET UG 2021 taken by the petitioners and the eligible petitioners are permitted to appear for the counselling in the General category. The applications interim relief are disposed of. It is made clear that the aforesaid interim relief is confined to the Academic Year 2021-2022 only,” the Madras High Court order said.

 The next date of hearing is set for November 22.

************************************************************************

Readers

These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.

Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world.  We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.

Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.

In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.

For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com