NEET UG 2023: Eligibility criteria for OCI candidates revised; now eligible for all seats

NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2023 eligibility criteria for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) candidates has been changed and now OCI aspirants are eligible for admission to all undergraduate medical programmes subject to rules issued by the authorities. Earlier, OCI cardholders were allowed for admission against a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) seat or a supernumerary seat only. The decision came after the Supreme Court’s judgment in a related case.

“In pursuance of the Judgment dated 03.02.2023 of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in W.P(C) 891/2021 and connected matters, aspiring OCI Candidates of NEET (UG) 2023 are hereby informed that the amended provision of Clause 5.2.2 of the Information Bulletin of NEET (UG) 2023 dealing with the Eligibility of OCI Cardholders for NEET (UG), shall be read as follows,” said an official statement from NTA.

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According to NTA, the existing provision for OCI candidates provided in NEET UG 2023 information bulletin read that such candidates will be treated as foreigners and will not be eligible for seats reserved for Indian nationals including paid deemed university seats. The provision reads that, as per the notification of the ministry of home affairs on the rights of OCI cardholders, these candidates are at par with NRI candidates in case of appearing for entrance exams provided that “the OCI cardholder shall not be eligible for admission against any seat reserved exclusively for Indian citizens.”

The modified eligibility criteria for OCI candidates reads, “An Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) will be eligible for admission to the Undergraduate Medical/Dental/Ayurveda/ Unani/Siddha/ Homeopathy Courses in India subject to the rules/regulations/notifications issued from time-totime by the respective regulatory bodies/Counselling Authorities/Admission Authorities in conformity with the Policy Decision of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and/or Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).”