New Delhi: The class 12 students who studied physics, chemistry, biology, or biotechnology along with English as an additional subject are allowed to take the NEET-UG exam on Wednesday, the National Medical Commission (NMC) stated.
According to a notice posted on the official NMC website, this decision “will be applicable even to those students whose applications were previously rejected.”
Admission to and selection for MBBS courses were governed by the former Medical Council of India (MCI) under Chapter II of the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997, including several amendments, Indian Express reported.
It had stated then that, in addition to English, undergraduates had to have completed two years of regular or continuous study in physics, chemistry, biology, or biotechnology in Classes 11 and 12. It was also necessary to finish the two years of study at normal schools rather than as private candidates or at open schools.
Further, the notice mentioned that the study of biology and biotechnology or any other requisite subject, could not be completed as an additional subject after passing Class 12.
According to NMC, the provisions were contested before the Delhi High Court and invalidated by a ruling dated May 11, 2018, along with other related matters.
This, as per the NMC notice, had a “consequential bearing on the candidates seeking admission in graduate and primary medical courses in foreign medical institutes due to the statutory regulations in this regard i.e. the eligibility requirement for taking admission in an Undergraduate Medical Course in a Foreign Medical Institution Regulations, 2002 and the Screening Test Regulation, 2002.”
In light of this, applicants were denied entry to the NEET UG exam and their requests for eligibility certificates were rejected.
Meanwhile, the NMC has framed the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023 as notified on June 2. According to Regulation 11(b), candidates may appear in the NEET-UG if they have passed 10 2 or its equivalent in the disciplines of English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology / Biotechnology, and Biology.
“Therefore, after the framing of Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023 the earlier Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 including the various amendments stand repealed prospectively,” the NMC notice said.
In a meeting on June 14, 2023, the NMC deliberated in depth and took into account the New Education Policy, which allows for a great deal of flexibility in the subjects
And “decided that the previous approach of the erstwhile Medical Council of India needs to be revisited by permitting candidates to undertake study of the requisite subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology / Biotechnology along with English) even as additional subjects after passing Class 12th from duly recognized boards by the concerned Government”.
According to the notice, these candidates will be able to take the NEET-UG Test and will therefore be qualified to receive an eligibility certificate.
The current ruling will also apply retrospectively to candidates whose applications for eligibility certificates were turned down for the reasons listed in the present public notice. However, for the purpose of appearing in NEET-UG, candidates who become eligible after the date of the present public notice shall be permitted to appear in NEET-UG-2024.
The NEET UG syllabus has been uploaded by NTA in the meantime.