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New Delhi : In a major step towards medical education in the country, the Center on Wednesday removed the upper age limit for the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) Graduation Examination 2022, a top government official said.
The decision was taken by the National Medical Commission (NMC), the apex body regulating medical education across the country.
An official statement issued by the NMC said: “I have been instructed to refer to your email dated March 3, 2022 for comments on the draft information bulletin of the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test for Admission to the Undergraduate Course (NEET (UG) – 2022).
NMC Secretary Dr Pulkesh Kumar said in a communication to Dr. Debabrata, Senior Director, Office of the National Testing Agency (NTA), “I would like to inform that the 4th NMC meeting held on 21 October 2021 has decided that this should not be done. There must be a specific age limit for participating in the NEET-UG test. Therefore, the information may be changed according to the bulletin. In addition, the process of official notification has been initiated to amend the regulations to make the Graduate Medical Education, 1997 effective. It has been issued with the approval of the Chairperson, NMC. ”
In 2017, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) recommended an age limit of 25 years for unreserved candidates and 30 years for reserved candidates.
Speaking to Mint, Dr. Mahesh Verma, a member of the National Medical Commission, said: “This is a generous initiative that will create more opportunities for an aspiring doctor. Now, even people in their 40s and 50s can sit the test. Age is just irrational. Why is education limited to age penalty? This method is followed in many western countries where there is no age limit for medical education. ”
Dr. Manish Jangra, President of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association echoed the same view. “This is a welcome step and will give a fair chance to most of the candidates willing to do MBBS considering the shortage of doctors in the country,” he said.
The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET), formerly known as the All-India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), is an aptitude test for the MBBS and BDS programs in Indian medical and dental colleges. It is operated by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
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