NEET: Delhi High Court upholds MCI's amendments for studying medicine in foreign universities

The Delhi High Court has upheld the Medical Council of India’s (MCI) amended regulation mandating those wanting to study medicine in a foreign university to clear NEET. Paving way for those who want to study medicine abroad but could not pass NEET, a bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and A K Chawla directed the MCI to grant eligibility certificates to such candidates for this year. However, from the next year, the students will have to clear the NEET to study abroad, as required by the amended screening test regulations.

“This court is of the opinion that the MCI’s amended regulations, mandating that those desirous of studying abroad, had to appear and qualify in NEET has direct nexus with the quality of professionals who — or many of who would — wish to practice the medical profession and seek enrolment in the State register, for that purpose. It is now essential that everyone wishing to secure admission to any medical college in India has to appear and clear the NEET… Such a requirement is neither unreasonable nor arbitrary,” the bench observed.
The order from the High Court came after a petition challenging the amendments to the Foreign Medical Institution Regulations, 2002, and Screening Test Regulations, 2002, made by the MCI. The petitioners had complained that the new requirements were arbitrary.
Emphasizing on the importance of NEET, MCI counsel T Singhdev said that the system of NEET helps to regulate the admission of only those candidates in the educational institutions at the undergraduate level who have suitable competence and capability. He argued that many candidates who obtain admission in foreign institutes find it very arduous to even complete the primary medical course and are unable to qualify the screening test for obtaining registration to practice medicine in the country.