NEET UG: NMC changes age criteria for medical entrance exam

NEW DELHI : The National Medical Commission (NMC) has changed the minimum age criteria for candidates appearing in National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test- Undergraduate or NEET-UG. The apex medical education regulator's Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023” or GMER-23, notified on June 2, say that a candidate will not be allowed to appear National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test- Undergraduate or NEET-UG unless he or she has completed the age of 17 years as on or before January 31 of the year of the admission to UG medical courses. Earlier, the cut-off date for completion of minimum 17 years was December 31 of the year of admission.
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In its “Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023” or GMER-23, NMC has said that MBBS, BDS and AYUSH course aspirants must have passed 10+2 (or equivalent) with subjects of physics, chemistry, biology or biotechnology and English to appear in NEET-UG.

The GMER-23 regulations were published in Indian Gazette on June 2 and were uploaded on the official NMC website - nmc.org.in on Thursday. NMC had released the draft of GMER-23 on February 27, 2023 and sought comments from the public within a month of its release.

NEET UG Exam and Counselling

As reported by Careers360 before, the latest regulations say the NMC may conduct the NEET-UG or may designate a single agency or multiple agencies or authority to conduct the NEET-UG. Currently, the National Testing Agency (NTA) is conducting the national-level entrance examination for UG medical courses. NTA conducted NEET-UG 2023 in the first week of May and counselling will start in July.

The Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) shall determine the language, manner and modalities of conducting the NEET-UG and notify with “reasonable lead time" when it decides to change its policies to conduct the exam so that aspiring students are not put to detriment.

Apart from students wanting to study in Indian medical colleges, the students who want to pursue UG medical courses abroad will have to get a minimum eligible score in the NEET- UG exam “if they want to return and practice in India.”

In case of tie-in NEET-UG marks, the respective marks obtained in physics followed by chemistry and further followed by biology shall be considered and if the tie continues, then eligible candidates will be selected from the draw lots by using the computer, with no human intervention.

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NEET counselling rules

NMC's new regulations state that there shall be common counselling for admission to graduate courses in medicine for all medical institutions in India based on the merit list of the NEET-UG. The UGMEB shall publish guidelines for the conduct of common counselling.

The respective designated authorities who have conducted the common counselling, shall submit the final list of students to the UGMEB within one week of the completion of the common counselling, which in turn shall publish that list in the NMC website. Each medical institution shall also submit the final list of students admitted to UGMEB within one week of the last date of the joining course.

NMC which recently withdrew recognition of 38 medical colleges over biometric and CCTV compliance issues has said that the medical Institutions that were permitted to admit the students prior to the date of notification of common counselling will be allowed to admit students.

“Those medical institutions getting the requisite permission later to the date of notification of common counselling shall participate in the next academic year‟s common counselling to admit students,” NMC stated.

Medical courses curriculum, faculty development

It will be the responsibility of UGMEB to publish the model curriculum and the outcome objectives of the same from time to time on the NMC website. The model curriculum shall form the base for the development of a detailed medical curriculum by the concerned universities, along with the appropriate methodology to “impart meaningful education”.

Medical students shall have a variety of choice-based credit courses of limited duration offered in addition to the NMC curriculum. The student admitted into a UG medical course shall not be deemed to have completed his graduation until “he completes his rotating medical internship as per Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations (CRMI), 2021.”

The new curriculum training requires the teaching faculty to “understand and apply the concepts of group dynamics in teaching students, team building exercises, and small group teachings, encourage the students towards self-directed learning and enhance their skills to become team leaders at the primary health care level.” NMC said that these training skills shall be imparted through various programmes from time to time.

Ragging and Students Welfare

Asserting that “student welfare is central to a good learning atmosphere,” NMC has asked the students to abide by ‘Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges and Institutions Regulations, 2021’ to avoid ragging incidents . It has also said that there shall be an elected student association and representation of students in decision making by the medical college affecting student welfare.

Also Read | ‘ Medical colleges do not respond to ragging complaints’; NMC warns of action

The latest NMC guidelines aim to encourage the students to achieve and maintain the highest ethical standards in training and profession. Guidelines also aim to inspire confidence in the students to handle emergencies and calamities at all levels.