In a landmark ruling that has the potential to reshape the landscape of medical education in India, the Supreme Court has lifted a 27-year-old ban, allowing students who have pursued their education through distance learning to sit for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduate courses. Scheduled for May 5, 2024, NEET is recognized as the most prestigious medical entrance examination in the country, attracting millions of aspirants each year.
The decision comes as a significant relief to students enrolled in distance education programs, who, until now, were ineligible to apply for NEET, a restriction that had been in place for nearly three decades. The Supreme Court’s ruling was delivered by a bench comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Arvind Kumar, in response to an appeal filed by the Medical Council of India (MCI) against a Delhi High Court verdict that allowed open school students to appear for the exam.
This pivotal judgment has opened the doors for students who have completed their 10+2 examinations through open schools recognized by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to pursue their dream of becoming doctors. The ruling emphasizes inclusivity and equal opportunities in education, ensuring that the mode of obtaining secondary education does not become a barrier to aspiring medical students.
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NEET 2024, to be held across various examination centers nationwide, will follow the traditional pen-and-paper format. Candidates will be tested on Chemistry, Physics, and Biology, with all questions being multiple-choice. The examination has seen an overwhelming response, with over 25 million students registering for this year’s test.
This year’s NEET exam also brings several changes, including modifications to the NEET UG 2024 syllabus, an increase in the number of exam centers, alterations in application fees, eligibility criteria, and the examination pattern.
