Health Ministry approves MCI proposal to amend the Screening Test Regulations, 2002

The Union Health Ministry on February 13, 2018 approved the proposal of Medical Council of India (MCI) to amend the Screening Test Regulations, 2002.

The amendment call for making it mandatory to qualify National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) to pursue foreign medical course.

Amendments to Screening Test Regulations, 2002

• A common National Entrance Exam viz. National Eligibility cum Entrance Test has been made mandatory for admission to all medical courses in the country.

• Indian students can also pursue medical education abroad, however, they need to qualify a Screening Test called Foreign Medical Graduates Exam (FMGE) for registration to practice in India after obtaining primary medical qualification (MBBS) overseas.

• Indian Citizens or Overseas Citizen of India intending to obtain primary medical qualification from any medical institution outside India on or after May 2018, shall have to mandatorily qualify the NEET for admission to MBBS course abroad.

• The result of NEET will be treated as the Eligibility Certificate for such persons, provided that such persons fulfils the eligibility criteria for admission to the MBBS course prescribed in the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997.

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What led to the amending of Screening Test Regulations, 2002?

The amendment came after it came to MCI's notice that medical institutions and Universities of foreign countries are admitting Indian students without proper assessment or screening of the students’ academic ability.

The screening of the students’ academic ability is essential to test whether students are capable of coping up with the medical education or not.

About Medical Council of India

• The Medical Council of India was initially established in 1934 under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933.

• The Council was later reconstituted under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, that replaced the earlier Act.

• As a statutory body, the Council establishes uniform and high standards of medical education in India.

• It grants recognition of medical qualifications, gives accreditation to medical schools, grants registration to medical practitioners, and monitors medical practice in India.