NEET 2022: Supreme Court to Hear Case on Eligibility Criteria on April 19

NEET Eligibility Criteria Case Hearing in Supreme Court on April 19

NEET eligibility criterion regarding schooling and subjects states that candidates who have passed Class 12 from Open School or private candidates will not be eligible to appear for the exam. Moreover, studying Biology or Biotechnology as an additional subject in Class 12 will also not be permissible for taking the test. A case has been filed in the Supreme Court of India against this criterion of NEET eligibility. The Apex Court will hear the case on April 19.

The case was filed in the Delhi High Court in 2018, which provisionally allowed students from the aforementioned category to take NEET, but the case is still pending in the Supreme Court. The petitioner has tweeted, “Open School/Private candidate/Additional Biology (after 12 with PCM students are currently #eligible after DHC verdict in 2018, but case is pending in Supreme Court.”

He also added, “On one side, In NEP-2020, they are stressing on Open Sch/distance learning but another hand they are debarring open sch/private students to take NEET-UG.”

What NTA Has to Say Regarding the Case

As per the NEET 2022 information brochure, the eligibility criterion of the exam states, “Candidates who have passed Class 12 from Open School or as private candidates shall not be eligible to appear for the ‘National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test’. Furthermore, the study of Biology/Biotechnology as an Additional Subject at the Class 12 level also shall not be permissible.”

However, it is also stated, “The provisions of the regulations disqualifying recognized Open School Board candidates and the candidates who have studied Biology/Biotechnology as an Additional Subject has been struck down. The Medical Council of India has preferred Special Leave Petitions before the Hon’ble Supreme Court and Appeals in the Hon’ble High Courts. Therefore, the candidature of candidates in the NEET (UG)- 2020 who have passed the qualifying examinations i.e. 10+2 from the National Institute of Open Schooling or State Open Schools or as private candidates from recognized State Boards; or with Biology/Biotechnology as an additional subject shall be allowed but subject to the outcome of Special Leave Petitions/Appeals filed by the Medical Council of India).”

NEET 2022 will be conducted on July 17 in 557 cities across India and abroad. The application process started on April 6 and the last date for application is May 6.

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