NEET 2018: Application dates extended, Aadhaar not required

New Delhi, March 8: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has extended the last date to submit the NEET 2018 application form to March 12, 2018 (5.30 PM) from the previous deadline of March 9, 2018.

Besides extending NEET application form deadline, CBSE has also waived off the mandatory requirement of giving Aadhaar card details as identity proof for filling NEET application form. The extension in application deadline and waiving the Aadhaar card requirement has been confirmed via an official notice published on CBSE NEET website on March 8, 2018. These changes come in lieu of the interim order passed by Supreme Court of India on March 7, 2018, which made it clear that submitting Aadhaar card details as a proof of identity is only voluntary and cannot be made mandatory by CBSE.

Quick Overview of changes introduced through latest CBSE notifications

• NEET 2018 application deadline extended to March 12, 2018. Now candidates can fill the application form of NEET 2018 till 5.30 PM on March 12, 2018.

• Giving Aad haar card details as identity proof isn’t mandatory. Candidates can proceed without either their Aadhaar number or Aadhaar Enrollment Number as long as they have other valid Government identity documents.

• Candidates can submit the online application fee till 11.59 PM on March 13, 2018.

• The NEET 2018 application correction window will be available from March 15 to 17, 2018.

• Earlier debarred candidates who passed their Class 12 from NIOS, as private candidates or had Biology as additional subject or are above 25 years of age, are also allowed to submit NEET application form.

About the CBSE March 8 Notice

As per the latest CBSE notice, candidates can submit their NEET application form till 5.30 PM on March 12, 2018, without necessarily giving their Aadhaar card details. Candidates can use the identification number of any valid government identity proof such as Ration Card, Passport, Bank Account Number, Voter ID, etc. besides Aadhaar for filling the application form. Candidates have been given a window till 11.50 PM on March 13, 2018, to submit their NEET application fee. The NEET application correction window will now be open between March 15 and 17, 2018.

The CBSE notice comes as a good news for those who do not possess Aadhaar number or Aadhaar enrollment number and those earlier debarred candidates who haven’t yet been able to apply for NEET 2018, including candidates who passed Class 12 from open schools, as private candidates, had Biology as an additional subject in Class 12 or those above 25 years of age, as it has given them an opportunity to apply for NEET 2018.

“ The date for submission of online Application Form for NEET (UG), 2018 is extended from 09.03.2018 (Friday) to 12.03.2018 (Monday) till 5.30 pm”, reads the notice. Regards Aadhaar, the notice states, “In addition to Aadhaar or Aadhaar Enrollment No., the candidates may fill the application form by mentioning alternative Identification Number such as Ration Card, Passport, Bank Account No. or other valid Government ID (such as Driving License, Voter ID etc.).” Until now, only candidates belonging from Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu & Kashmir were allowed to apply for NEET without having to enter their Aadhar details. T he notice further clarifies that "Rest of the conditions mentioned in the Information Bulletin shall remain the same".