DR. MITAL LAHANU SONAWANE Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By the present Writ Petition, the Petitioner seeks a direction to Respondent No. 6 - National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences ( "NBEMS ") to register the Petitioner as a postgraduate student for the Diplomate of National Board in Ophthalmology ( "DNB Ophthalmology ") course at Respondent No. 5 - College.

(2.) The Petitioner is a Group 'A' Medical Officer in Government service. Having completed more than three years of service in August 2025, she became eligible to avail of the benefit of the in-service quota for admission to postgraduate medical courses. With a view to securing such admission, the Petitioner appeared for the NEET-PG 2025 examination held on 3/8/2025. Upon declaration of the results, the Petitioner was not eligible to participate in the first and second rounds of counselling and became eligible to participate only in the third round, which commenced on 5/2/2026. The Petitioner accordingly submitted her preference form under the inservice quota, indicating her preferences for both MD/MS and DNB seats.

(3.) On 13/2/2026, Respondent No. 2 - State CET Cell published the selection list for DNB seats, pursuant to which the Petitioner was allotted a DNB Ophthalmology seat at Respondent No. 5 - College, with a last date for joining of 17/2/2026. Thereafter, on 15/2/2026, Respondent No. 2 published the selection list for MD/MS seats, pursuant to which the Petitioner was also allotted an MS Ophthalmology seat at Swami Ramanand Teerth Rural Medical College, Ambajogai, Beed, with a last date for joining of 19/2/2026.