NEET UG Eligibility Criteria modified by National Medical Commission
NEET UG Eligibility Criteria – The National Medical Commission (NMC) has revised the eligibility criteria for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG). As per the revised eligibility criteria, students who have pursued Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology along with English even as an additional subject after passing class XII from duly recognised boards will now be eligible to appear in the NEET-UG exam.
The new decision will be applicable even to those students whose applications were previously rejected, the Commission added.
The earlier regulations set by the Medical Council of India (MCI) required a two-year regular study of Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology, and English in Class 11 and 12 for MBBS course admissions. However, the new regulations, framed on June 2, 2023, state that candidates who have passed 10+2 or its equivalent with the specified subjects and English are eligible for NEET-UG.
The NMC, in its notice, mentioned that the decision to revise the eligibility criteria was influenced by the New Education Policy, allowing flexibility in Class 12 subject choices. According to the new regulations, candidates can now study the required subjects, including Biology or Biotechnology, even as additional subjects after passing Class 12 from recognized boards. Candidates with rejected applications seeking an eligibility certificate will now be eligible for NEET-UG, with the decision applying retrospectively.
The NMC emphasized that the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, replace the previous regulations prospectively. Candidates who become eligible after the date of the notice will be allowed to appear in NEET-UG 2024. This decision aims to provide more flexibility and opportunities for candidates aspiring to pursue graduate and primary medical courses, including those seeking admission in foreign medical institutes.