Delhi High Court Amended the MCI Regulation on Mandating NEET 2018 for Studying Medicine Abroad

The Delhi High Court has amended MCI’s regulation on mandating students to qualify the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for studying medicine abroad. The amendment would allow those interested in pursuing medicine from abroad to do so without qualifying the NEET 2018 exam. However, the amendment is applicable only for this year’s NEET exam. From 20019 onwards, it will be mandatory for students to clear the NEET exam for studying medicine in foreign Universities.

The court adds that if the students fail to clear the NEET 2019 exam, candidates would not be eligible for studying medicine from foreign universities in that year and would also not get the license. The order was made as an answer to the petitions filed against the amendments made by the MCI in the Foreign Medical Institution Regulations, 2002 and Screening Test Regulations, 2002. The petitioners complained that the new requirements were random.

The bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and AK Chawla said; “This court is of the opinion that the MCI’s amended regulations, mandating that those desirous of studying abroad, had to appear and qualify in NEET has direct nexus with the quality of professionals who — or many of who would — wish to practice the medical profession and seek enrolment in the State register, for that purpose. It is now essential that everyone wishing to secure admission to any medical college in India has to appear and clear the NEET. Such a requirement is neither unreasonable nor arbitrary.”

MCI Counsel, T Singhdev, said that many candidates who get admission in the foreign institutes/colleges find it difficult to complete the primary medical course and they are also unable to qualify the screening test conducted for obtaining the registration to practice medicine in India. Thus, qualifying the NEET would lead to the admission of only competent candidates to the undergraduate medical courses offered by Foreign Universities.

About NEET

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is conducted for admission to undergraduate Medical courses (MBBS/BDS) offered by Indian Universities/colleges. It has replaced all the other national and state-level medical entrance exams except AIIMS MBBS and JIPMER MBBS.