The Supreme Court on Friday directed postponement by at least a month of this year’s AIIMS-conducted INI CET postgraduate medical entrance exam, which was to be held on June 16, calling the decision to go ahead with the test amid the pandemic “arbitrary and discriminatory”.

The court also noted that doctors were already grappling with the enormous workload of Covid duty, made mandatory by the government, and that holding the exams at such a short notice would be “arbitrary” and “unfair”, as alleged by the petitioners.

The court pointed to the fact that the government had already postponed the NEET postgraduate medical exam, conducted on a much larger scale than the Institute of National Importance Common Entrance Test (INI CET), at least till August 31 and many other exams had been cancelled in view of the pandemic.

The NEET PG was pushed back after Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided that doctors would have to be on Covid duty for at least 100 days, a period that would end earliest by mid-August.

In admit cards that AIIMS had begun issuing on Wednesday, it was mentioned that the institute would not be responsible for any kind of travel restrictions in any state. Lockdowns and similar restrictions are in force in many states. The three-hour, computer-based exams are to be conducted at designated centres across the country, including in Calcutta.

Around 80,000 students had applied for INI CET, being conducted this year by AIIMS, for admission to postgraduate courses at government institutions such as AIIMS, PGIMER, Chandigarh; JIPMER, Puducherry; and NIMHANS, Bangalore.

The bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and M.R. Shah passed the following order: “These writ petitions have been filed by doctors with an MBBS degree…. It is submitted that the hasty decision taken by AIIMS to conduct INI CET 2021 on 16th June, 2021, has seriously prejudiced innumerable aspirants… who are serving in Covid hospitals in various parts of the country.

“Many of them have been rendering services at Covid centres located far away from the examination centres for which they have opted. The petitioners contend that conducting the INI CET at such short notice is arbitrary, unfair on the aspirants… and will cause gross injustice, as the aspirants have got very short time to prepare.

“According to the petitioners, the concerned doctors had been assured that they would be given sufficient time, at least a month, to prepare for the admission test. Mr (Arvind) Datar, learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners, pointed out that the INI CET is being conducted to fill up 850 MD and MS seats….

“About 80,000 doctors with the MBBS degree are expected to take the INI CET. Postgraduate courses of medical colleges other than those mentioned above (the institutes that take in candidates through INI CET) are through the NEET PG, which according to the petitioners has been postponed beyond 31st August, 2021.

“Mr Datar argued that different examinations have been postponed on account of the pandemic, including the civil services examination. It is not clear whether some examinations, including board examinations for this year, will at all be held.

“The attention of the court has also been drawn to news reports of extensions of lockdown in many states. It is reported that in Odisha, lockdown has been extended till 16th June, 2021. In Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh and also in Calcutta, the lockdown has been extended till 15th June, 2021. It would be extremely difficult, if not virtually impossible, for many candidates for the INI CET to reach their examination centres from their places of duty.

“Many of the doctors are exposed to and are running the risk of contracting Covid-19 and they may have to isolate and/or quarantine themselves. Even otherwise holding the INI CET on 16th June, 2021, will result in spread of the virus and increase in Covid-19 cases.

“Having regard to the circumstances pleaded, fixing of the INI CET on 16.06.2021 is arbitrary and discriminatory, more so since other important examinations including Joint Entrance Examinations, board examinations, etc, have been postponed. The impugned notice is, therefore, set aside. The INI CET is directed to be postponed by at least a month from 16th June, 2021. The AIIMS shall fix a convenient date for the INI CET at least one month after 16th June, 2021.”