Must clear NEET-UG to pursue medical courses abroad: SC

Must clear NEET-UG to pursue medical courses abroad: SC

21.02.2025

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court has refused to interfere with a 2018 decision of Medical Council of India (MCI) mandating qualication in NEET as an eligibility criterion to pursue an undergraduate medical course in a foreign institution.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K Vinod Chandran said introducing National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) qualication criterion ensures a fair and transparent procedure in the grant of eligibility certicate, and the regulation does not in any manner conict with the law. 

It said, "We find absolutely no reason to interfere with the regulations, in which context, the learned counsel sought for a one-time exemption as applicable to the petitioners. Obviously, afer the amended regulations came into effect, if any candidate chose to obtain admission in a foreign institution for pursuing a course   leading to a primary medical qualication, they cannot seek for an exemption from the regulations.. This does not restrict their right to practice anywhere outside India." "The regulations, especially additional mandate to satisfy the eligibility criteria, is not ultra vires the Constitution and neither is it in conict with any provisions of the Act (Indian Medical Council Act) nor arbitrary or unreasonable. Hence, all the petitions are dismissed," the bench said.