Students passing 10+2 without Biology eligible for NEET UG: NMC

NEET UG 2024: The present decision shall be applicable retrospectively also on candidates whose applications for grant of eligibility certificate have been rejected on the grounds contemplated in the present public notice.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) on Wednesday allowed the Class 12 students who have pursued physics, chemistry, biology or biotechnology along with English even as an additional subject to appear in the NEET-UG examination.

A notice uploaded on NMC’s official website said that this decision “will be applicable even to those students whose applications were previously rejected.”

The erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI) through the provisions of the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 including the various amendments, under Chapter-II had regulated the admission and selection to MBBS courses.

It, at that time, had mentioned that undergraduates must have undergone two years of regular or continuous study of the subjects of physics, chemistry, biology or biotechnology, in Class 11 and 12 with practical, along with English. Moreover, the two years study was required to be completed from regular schools and not from open schools or as private candidates.

Further, the notice mentioned that the study of biology and biotechnology or any other requisite subject, could not be completed as an additional subject after passing Class 12.

As per NMC, the provisions had been challenged before the Delhi High Court and were quashed vide judgement dated May 11, 2018 in a case and other related matters.

This, as per the NMC notice, had a “consequential bearing on the candidates seeking admission in graduate and primary medical courses in foreign medical institutes due to the statutory regulations in this regard i.e. the eligibility requirement for taking admission in an Undergraduate Medical Course in a Foreign Medical Institution Regulations, 2002 and the Screening Test Regulation, 2002.”

In this background, candidates had been debarred from the NEET UG exam as also their applications seeking eligibility certificates were rejected.

Meanwhile, the NMC has framed the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023 as notified on June 2.

Regulation 11(b) provides that candidates who have passed 10 2 or its equivalent with the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology / Biotechnology and English shall be eligible for appearing in NEET-UG.

“Therefore, after the framing of Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023 the earlier Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 including the various amendments stand repealed prospectively,” the NMC notice said.

The NMC held detailed deliberations in a meeting held on June 14, 2023 and took into consideration the New Education Policy, which permits a great extent of flexibility in the study of various subjects in Class 12.

And “decided that the previous approach of the erstwhile Medical Council of India needs to be revisited by permitting candidates to undertake study of the requisite subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology / Biotechnology alongwith English) even as additional subjects after passing Class 12th from duly recognized boards by the concerned Government”.

Such candidates shall be permitted to appear in NEET-UG Test and thus will be eligible for a grant of eligibility certificate, the notice stated.

The present decision shall be applicable retrospectively also on candidates whose applications for grant of eligibility certificate have been rejected on the grounds contemplated in the present public notice. 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.

Meanwhile, NTA has uploaded the NEET UG syllabus.