Bombay HC allows paramilitary doctor to apply for NEET-PG after cut-off date

Mumbai: A deputy commandant of the paramilitary force, Dr Firdaus Najar (34), attached to the Assam Rifles for over six years, and posted at Lekhapani, Assam has been assisted by the Bombay High Court, in his wish to pursue a post graduate course in Dentistry, in Mumbai.The Court directed the Maharashtra State's common entrance test(NEET), authorities to physically accept his application form, as he had missed the online cut off date in February.

Dr. Najar who is attached to the paramilitary forces Baramullah district of Jammu and Kashmir, missed the online cut-off, as he was required under rules of the paramilitary forces, to take prior permission from the Director General. He received approval from the higher ups on March 22, to pursue his post graduation course, including MDS orthodontics.

Dr. Najar has applied for the NEET exam and stands a good chance of securing an admission, argued his lawyer Pooja Thorat, who informed the court that the state government had the earliest cut-off for online submissions. She felt that Najar should not be deprived of a chance to pursue his objective to serve as a post graduate, the 8.4 lakh personnel , in the para military forces, of the country.

Presently, there were only 54 dental graduates treating these personnel from across the forces; be they the Central Reserve Police Force, National Security Guard, Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force, or the Assam Rifles.

Dr. Najar informed the court of the absence of a dental medical college in the armed forces, where he could seek admission and also revealed the paramilitary force being devoid of a dentist with a post graduate degree to attend to the force.

A bench of Justices BP Colabawalla and SS Kemkar directed that his form be accepted, however, they added that his selection process would be subject to the petition's outcome .

The first selection round was to be on April 15 and students will be allowed to join till April 24.

The court clarified that the interim order for Najar was not be treated as a precedent, as the court considered that he is "serving in the paramilitary force and for no fault of his, the requisite certificate was belatedly granted by his employer, " reports TOI.

Najar's plea mentioned his wish to work as a dentist with the paramilitary, and not pursue private practice. His wife, who is with Indian Air Force, is a doctor pursuing post-graduation in gynaecology at Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. The Deputy Commandant is keen on studying in Maharashtra.