Delhi HC grants one-time exemption to NEET ‘unqualified’ candidates to pursue MBBS abroad

NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 28: In a major relief to a large number of MBBS aspirants, the Delhi High Court has declared that students who have not qualified the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) are eligible to enrol in an overseas medical college this year.

The High Court while hearing a petition of medical aspirants granted a one-time exemption.

The high court has asked the Medical Council of India (MCI) to issue eligibility certificate to aspirants within one week. The court observed, “this court hereby declares that the petitioners are entitled to the same treatment as was given to those who did not appear in NEET; as a one- time measure, the respondents are directed to ensure that eligibility certificates are issued to all students who appeared in NEET (including the petitioners) but did not qualify the test.”

“This is a major relief for me as I was depressed on the thought of wasting one year to enrol in a medical college. The High Court has paved way for many students like me who are good in studies but could not qualify NEET because of the pressure to perform in boards. I now have the option to enrol in an overseas college where the fees will be much lower and career prospects will be higher,” said an MBBS aspirant Kavya Shekhar.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in February this year had approved the proposal of the MCI to make it mandatory to pass NEET to obtain an eligibility certificate (EC) to pursue courses in foreign medical colleges. This was seen as a major drawback for many students.

However, in a major relief to the students who did not register for NEET this year, the Delhi High Court had recently announced a one-time exemption.

Saju Bhaskar, President, Texila American University said, “We welcome this move by the Delhi High court as it is better late than never. The intake for many colleges in India and overseas is ending in September. Many of the disappointed students decided to enrol in other courses since they could neither get a medical seat in India or abroad. The problem is acute for students who passed out from state boards like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh etc. where students scored good marks in their board exams but failed in NEET, as their school curriculum is very different from the one for NEET.”