NATIONAL BOARD OF EXAMINATIONS IN MEDICAL SCIENCES vs DR. ADITI PANWAR AND OTHERS

Judgment text excerpt

$~ * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Judgment reserved on: 24.02.2026 Judgment pronounced on: 18.05.2026 + LPA 438/2025 and CM APPLs. 41843-45/2025 and 61454/2025 NATIONAL BOARD OF EXAMINATIONS IN MEDICAL SCIENCES .....Appellant Through: Mr. Kirtiman Singh, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Waize Ali Noor, Mr. Mrinal Kumar Sharma, Mr. Shashi Suman, Mr. Varun Rajawat and Mr. Zillur Rahman, Advs. versus DR. ADITI PANWAR AND OTHERS .....Respondents Through: Mr Amarjit Singh Bedi, Mr Varun Chandiok, Ms Riya Seth, Mr Armaan Sharma, Advocates for R1 Mr. Mukul Singh CGSC and Mr. Aryan Dhaka, Advocates for UOI, Mr. T. Singhdev, Mr. Abhijit Chakravarty, Ms. Yamini Singh, Mr. Tanishq Srivastava, Mr. Vedant Sood, Mr. Bhanu Gulati and Ms. Ramanpreet Kaur, Advs. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C. HARI SHANKAR HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE OM PRAKASH SHUKLA JUDGMENT % 18.05.2026 OM PRAKASH SHUKLA, J. 1. This Letters Patent Appeal assails the impugned judgment dated 16.06.2025 passed by learned Single Judge whereby W.P.(C) 7066/2025, instituted by Respondent No. 1 herein, was allowed with a Signature Not Verified Signed By:PRAGYA LPA 438/2025 Page 1 of 44 ARORA Signing Date:19.05.2026 12:12:37 direction to de-reserve an Other Backwards Classes1 category seat to unreserved2 category in the Respondent No. 3 Hospital. 2. Briefly put, the dispute revolves around the right of Respondent No. 1, a UR candidate, to seek de-reservation of a seat in Respondent No. 3 Hospital earmarked for OBC category, on the ground that the seat having remained vacant in academic year 2025 due to lack of eligible candidates, would otherwise lapse and ought to be converted to prevent wastage. FACTUAL BACKGROUND 3. Shorn off unnecessary details, Respondent No. 1 is a practicing Radiologist who appeared for the DNB PDCET 20253 cond