NEET UG 2024: NMC revises eligibility criteria; allows biology as additional subject in Class 12

NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has revised the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2024 eligibility criteria and allowed candidates who have studied physics, chemistry, biology, or biotechnology as additional subjects in Class 12 to appear for the exam. The commission said that those candidates whose applications for eligibility certificate were rejected earlier due to the issue can also appear for the exam.

NMC took the decision after considering the new education policy in its meeting held in June. “The National Medical Commission in its meeting held on 14.06.2023 after detailed deliberations while taking into consideration the New Education Policy, which permits great extent of flexibility in the study of various subjects in Class 12th, decided that the previous approach of the erstwhile Medical Council of India needs to be revisited by permitting candidates to undertaken 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 Govt,” said NMC in an official notice.

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The commission stated that the recently issued Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2023 have replaced the previous regulations issued by MCI for MBBS admissions according to which the “Biology / Biotechnology or any other requisite subject, could not be completed as an additional subject after passing Class 12th.”

The Under Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) explained that the provisions had been challenged before the Delhi High Court and were quashed. As a result, students were debarred from taking the NEET UG exam and their applications for eligibility certificate were rejected. It further affected candidates seeking admission in graduate medical courses in foreign medical institutes due to regulations on the eligibility requirement for taking admission in UG courses abroad.

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“However, for the purpose of appearing in NEET-UG, candidates who become eligible after the date of the present public notice, shall be permitted to appear in NEET-UG-2024. Further, court cases filed by MCI / NMC, as before any Hon’ble Court, in this regard shall be withdrawn and that the current position with the present public notice shall be explained in all pending litigations filed by candidates, against MCI / NMC, so that the same could be disposed at the earliest,” NMC further said.