SC allows MCI to extend NEET counselling date

New Delhi: The Supreme Court allowed extension of dates for counselling of students who have cleared the NEET exam to join medical and dental courses across the country by accepting the plea of Medical Council of India (MCI).

The apex court allowed the MCI's plea as per the list of dates provided by its counsel, according to which the admission process for MBBS course would be completed by August 28 and admission in the dental course by September 10.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and N V Ramana extended the date for counselling after MCI's counsel said there was a delay in announcement of result of National Eligibility-cum- Entrance Test (NEET) due to the interim order of Madras High Court which had restrained CBSE from publishing the results.

He said after the apex court had on June 12 stayed the high court's order, the result was declared on June 23.

The counsel said due to delay in annoucement of the result, the counselling could not be done as per the schedule fixed earlier by the apex court.

The apex court had earlier stayed the high court's order and had said the declaration of result as well as subsequent counselling and admission through NEET 2017 would be subject to its decision in the matter pending before it.

It also asked the high courts not to entertain pleas in the matters relating to NEET 2017.