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Students Clearing 10+2 Without Biology Still Eligible to Appear for NEET
Students who have successfully completed their 10+2 education without including biology in their curriculum are now deemed eligible to participate in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET (UG), as per the latest guidelines issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
The updated regulations, effective from June 2, 2023, bring about a significant change in the eligibility criteria. According to Regulation 11(b), candidates who have passed 10+2 with physics, chemistry, biology/biotechnology, and English from any recognized board are now eligible to appear for NEET-UG. This marks a departure from the previous requirement, which mandated the inclusion of biology or biotechnology as a core subject.
This revision comes in response to a series of queries and legal challenges related to eligibility criteria in medical education. Previously, under the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997, candidates pursuing MBBS had to complete two years of continuous study in physics, chemistry, biology/biotechnology, and English during their 11th and 12th grades. The Delhi High Court nullified these provisions in 2018, affecting candidates seeking admission to foreign medical institutions.
In an effort to address these issues, the NMC introduced the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023. The new regulations not only make candidates without biology eligible for NEET-UG but also apply retrospectively, providing relief to those whose applications for eligibility certificates were previously rejected.
In a meeting held on June 14, 2023, the NMC, taking into account the flexibility offered by the New Education Policy, decided to revisit its earlier stance. Candidates can now study the required subjects as additional subjects after completing Class 12th from recognized boards and still remain eligible for NEET-UG and the Eligibility Certificate.
This decision has broader implications as it not only resolves pending court cases but also allows candidates who have become eligible post this announcement to participate in NEET-UG 2024. Additionally, court cases filed by the Medical Council of India (MCI)/NMC will be withdrawn, and the updated position will be presented in ongoing litigations filed by candidates against the MCI/NMC for a more expeditious resolution.