A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court by doctors seeking postponement of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for post graduate candidates.

The petition filed by nine doctors prayed that the NEET PG exam scheduled for April 18 be deferred in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Board of Examination (NBE) has scheduled the examination for April 18 in utter disregard of the prevailing COVID circumstance and is pressurising graduate doctors across the country to sit for the same, the plea filed through advocate Pallavi Pratap said.

"The (NEET PG) examination was initially scheduled for January 2021 but stood postponed due to COVID situation which was far better than the present situation with over 1 lakh cases per day," the petition stated.

The plea also pointed out how the board examinations for CBSE students of class 10 and 12 were postponed.

The NBE had issued a notification on April 9 fixing the exam for April 18.

The petition specifically challenged para 8 of the notification which bars COVID positive candidates from appearing for the exam. Such candidates, the petitioners prayed, should be allowed to re-appear for the examination of a future date.

The plea stated that the entire notification and conduct of examinations on April 18 is not in public interest as there is a shortage of doctors, hospital beds and COVID-19 vaccines.

The petitioners submitted that a super spreader event is one where thirty people are gathered irrespective of the symptomatic condition of the person and that such "super spreader event increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

It was also highlighted that the candidates who would be appearing in the exam are treating COVID-19 patients daily and that there are high chances of them being carriers of the virus.

The petition will be heard by the Supreme Court on Friday, April 16.