According to the new NMC regulation, students who passed class 12 from properly recognized boards and pursued physics, chemistry, biology, or biotechnology together with English as an additional subject will be eligible to take the NEET-UG exam.
In order to eventually become doctors, PCM stream students can pass the biology and biotechnology test as an additional subject at the 10+2 level from any recognized board.
In the nation, students who choose to major in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) in Classes 11 and 12 can still go on to become doctors. The PCM stream students can eventually become doctors by passing the biology/biotechnology examination as an additional subject at the 10+2 level from any recognized board, according to the most recent recommendations released by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
NMC further stated that the ruling will be applicable to students whose applications were previously turned down.
Which NEET-UG guidelines were in place previously?
In order to take the exam, students had to have completed two years of regular or continuous study in English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Biotechnology in Classes 11 and 12, combined with practical experience. This requirement was previously stated by the Medical Council of India (MCI). Formerly, conventional schools were the only places where the two-year study could be finished; open schools or private candidates were not permitted.
Furthermore, once Class 12 was passed, additional coursework in Biology, Biotechnology, or any other required subject could not be taken.
The Delhi High Court had challenged the rules, and on May 11, 2018, the court quashed them in that case as well as other related proceedings.
Also read: Indian medical graduates can now practice in countries like US, Canada, Australia.
Due to the statutory regulations in this regard, namely the Eligibility Requirement for Taking Admission in an Undergraduate Medical Course in a Foreign Medical Institution Regulations, 2002 and the Screening Test Regulation, 2002, this had a consequential impact on the candidates seeking admission in graduate and primary medical courses in foreign medical institutes.
In light of this, applicants were denied access to the NEET-UG Test and their requests for eligibility certificates were turned down.
What are the new NEET-UG guidelines?
During a meeting on June 14, 2023, the National Medical Commission deliberated in-depth and considered the New Education Policy, which allows for a significant deal of flexibility in the courses studied in Class 12.
And it “decided that the previous approach of the erstwhile Medical Council of India needs to be revisited by permitting candidates to undertake a 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 retroactively to candidates whose applications for eligibility certificates were turned down for the reasons listed in the current public notice. On the other hand, applicants who become eligible after the current public notice date may still appear in NEET-UG-2024.
