Supreme Court directs stricter measures to curb NEET-PG seat blocking, mandates fee transparency & stringent counselling rules

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued a series of stringent measures to prevent seat-blocking and enhance transparency in the NEET-PG (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate courses) counselling process. The bench, comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, addressed widespread concerns over malpractices that have long impacted the admission system, disadvantaging meritorious candidates.

Key Directives by the Supreme Court

The court's detailed guidelines seek to overhaul the existing counselling system, ensuring a more equitable and merit-based allocation of seats. The key measures include:

1. Nationally Synchronised Counselling Calendar – States and central authorities must align All India Quota (AIQ) and state counselling rounds to prevent seat-blocking across systems.

2. Mandatory Fee Disclosure Before Counselling – Private and deemed universities must disclose tuition fees, hostel charges, caution deposits, and other expenses upfront to ensure financial transparency.

3. Centralised Fee Regulation by NMC – The National Medical Commission (NMC) will establish a standardised fee framework to prevent arbitrary fee hikes by private institutions.

4. Upgrade Option After Round 2 – Candidates who secure seats in earlier rounds can upgrade to better options in subsequent rounds without reopening counselling for new entrants.

5. Full Disclosure of Exam Data – The NMC must publish raw scores, answer keys, and normalisation formulas to ensure transparency in multi-shift NEET-PG exams.

6. Strict Penalties for Seat-Blocking – Offenders will face security deposit forfeiture, disqualification from future NEET-PG exams (for repeat offenders), and blacklisting of colleges involved in malpractice.

7. Aadhaar-Based Seat Tracking – To prevent candidates from holding multiple seats, Aadhaar-linked verification will be mandatory.

8. Accountability for State Authorities – State counselling authorities and institutional DMEs (Directors of Medical Education) will face disciplinary action or contempt charges for violating rules or schedules.

9. Uniform Counselling Code Across States – A standardised process will be implemented for eligibility, mop-up rounds, seat withdrawals, and grievance redressal.

10. Third-Party Oversight Mechanism – The NMC will appoint an independent body to audit counselling data annually and ensure compliance with admission norms.

Court's Observations on Seat-Blocking

In the judgment authored by Justice JB Pardiwala, the bench expressed deep concern over the practice of seat-blocking, where candidates secure seats in early rounds only to abandon them later for better options. This malpractice disrupts seat availability, unfairly benefits lower-ranked candidates, and undermines merit-based selection.

The court noted, "Seat-blocking is not merely an isolated wrongdoing—it reflects deeper systemic flaws rooted in fragmented governance, lack of transparency, and weak policy enforcement." It emphasised that structural reforms, technological modernisation, and stringent accountability are necessary to restore fairness in the admission process.

The ruling is expected to bring much-needed transparency and efficiency to NEET-PG admissions, ensuring that deserving candidates are not deprived of seats due to unethical practices.