The Medical Council of India (MCI) in association with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, has granted the permission to medical aspirants for studying abroad if they did not take NEET in this academic year. This was followed from a Delhi High Court Order. However, it also added that those who attempted the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) and failed to qualify, would also lose the eligibility to study abroad.
According to the official statement, students who will be given the green light to study abroad should follow these procedural guidelines:
- Proof/ undertaking that the students had not registered or attempted NEET
- A certificate of eligibility will be issued which will be testified by the council before admission/joining into medical institutions abroad
- Any forging/falsification of certificates will result in the immediate cancellation of the eligibility certificate. The council, at its discretion, can verify the validity of these certificates and initiate action.
Back in March this year, MCI had directed that NEET will be treated as an eligibility criterion for students who wish to study medicine out-of-India and hence, will be mandatory for medical aspirants.
Before NEET came into the picture, a minimum percentage of 50 in Physics, Chemistry, and Maths was treated as the eligibility criteria.