SC directs AIIMS to postpone INI CET for another month

New Delhi: The Supreme Court directed AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) to postpone the INI CET (Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test) 2021 exams for another month on Friday. The division bench of Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice MR Shah was hearing petitions challenging the conduct of the examination while the Covid-19 crisis is at a peak. AIIMS shall publish fresh dates for the test later.

AIIMS had earlier opposed the postponing of the test, arguing that it would create a scarcity of doctors against the unprecedented pandemic situation, but later decided to leave it to the court. The court observed that AIIMS' decision to conduct the exam on June 16th was erratic, and it gave no time for doctors to prepare as they are on Covid-19 duty.

AIIMS told the court that if doctors are facing issues now, they could appear for the next exam to be held in November, but once the court said that it is going to pass orders if AIIMS is not going to postpone, AIIMS informed the court that they are agreeable to defer the examination.

The petition was filed by doctors who applied for the AIIMS' INI CET, an entrance exam, for PG courses in government medical institutes like AIIMS, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) Puducherry, and National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru. The petition mentioned the Prime Minister's assurance that students will receive at least one month for preparation when NEET PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Exam for postgraduate) 2021 was postponed.