NEW DELHI:
Medical Council of India (MCI) has released a Gazette notification extending the NEET validity to three years. Currently, NEET UG or National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate scores have the validity for one year, which is the same year a student clear the national level medical entrance examination. MCI, the medical education regulator in the country, has in another recent notification made NEET mandatory for pursuing MBBS medical courses abroad and according to officials increasing the validity of the scores will help the students who are going abroad as admission process in different countries is a time-taking exercise.
According to the MCI Gazette notification, “the result of NEET shall be valid for a period of three (3) years from the date of declaration of result, entitling a candidate to pursue MBBS or equivalent medical course including pre-medical/language course, if any, followed by MBBS or equivalent medical course”.
The notification also said the regulation “shall come into force from the date of publication in the official Gazette”, which is March 14, 2019.
NEET, formerly the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) is an entrance examination conducted in India, for students who wish to study graduate level medical and dental courses (MBBS and BDS) in government or private medical colleges and dental colleges in the country.
At present, the undergraduate NEET is organised by the National Testing Agency (NTA), a newly-formed agency under the supervision of Human Resources Development Ministry to as a specialist, autonomous and self-sustained testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for admission/fellowship in higher educational institutions.
Before this, the test was conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
Next NEET exam, which is NEET 2019, will be held by NTA on May 5 and the results will be declared on June 5.