In Brief

In this judgment, the Supreme Court dismissed writ petitions from candidates seeking an additional "Special Stray Round" of counselling to fill 1456 vacant seats remaining in NEET-PG-2021 after eight to nine rounds of counselling had been completed. The Court held that medical admission processes must operate on fixed time schedules and cannot be endlessly extended. Vacant seats—particularly the 1100+ non-clinical positions that traditionally go unfilled—do not justify additional rounds. Admitting students mid-session would compromise medical education quality and public health. The Court emphasized that schedules must be strictly followed; otherwise, the entire regulatory framework collapses. The petitions were dismissed without costs.

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