The National Medical Commission (NMC) has removed the maximum age limit for the National Eligibility-Current Entrance Test (Undergraduate) (NEET-UG) for admission to MBBS courses within India. Up until now, the upper age limit for unreserved candidates was 25 years, and 30 years for reserved candidates.
Dr Pulkesh Kumar, the NMC secretary, wrote the following correspondence on Wednesday to the National Testing Agency (NTA), which administers the entrance exams for higher education: “I would like to inform that it has been decided in the 4th NMC meeting held on 21st Oct 2021 that there should not be any fixed upper age limit for appearing in the NEET-UG examination… The process for official notification to suitably amend the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 to this effect has been initiated.”
☛ Also Read: NEET-UG 2022 Likely To Be Held in June-July?
“Good news for the aspirants of NEET-UG! The National Medical Commission removes the fixed upper age limit for appearing in the NEET-UG examination. The decision will immensely benefit aspiring doctors and further help in strengthening medical education in the country,” said the office of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Twitter.
After NEET phased out the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) and state pre-medical tests in 2016, the upper age limit has been a contentious issue. CBSE introduced the upper age limit in 2017 and a challenge was filed in May 2018 before the Supreme Court.
NEET-UG candidates above 25 years of age were granted provisional permission to appear in the NEET-UG by the Supreme Court in November 2018. The then, NEET-UG information stated that “candidates above 25 years are provisionally permitted to appear and their candidature is subjected to the outcome of pending petitions before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.”
☛ Also Read: NEET UG Counselling 2021 Important Dates & Schedule
This decision will benefit candidates who may miss the age cutoff if the examination is delayed.
