The upper age cap by CBSE since 2017 has been 25 years for unreserved candidates and 30 years for reserved candidates.
A new rule has been implemented by the National Medical Commission (NMC), which has removed the upper age limit for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) (NEET-UG) for admission to MBBS courses across India. There was a maximum age limit of 25 years for unreserved applicants and 30 years for reserved applicants until now.
NMC secretary Dr Pulkesh Kumar wrote to the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the NEET exams, saying that the decision was taken at the 4th NMC meeting held on 21st October, last year. “Therefore, the information bulletin shall be notified,” said the letter.
It is a relief to the many aspirants who have been waiting for the Supreme Court’s decision on the matter. NMC introduced a 25-year-old age limit for undergraduate examinations in 2019. An appeal was filed to the Supreme Court challenging the age limit. The matter was put on hold, and people were allowed to appear for the examination. This age restriction has now been removed.
Mansukh Mandaviya, the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, tweeted, “The National Medical Commission has removed the fixed upper age limit for appearing in NEET-UG. The move will be of great benefit to aspiring doctors and further strengthen medical education in the country.”
The NEET is the only exam for medical aspirants in India, with over 10 lakh students from across the country taking part in it each year. This year’s NEET-UG examination schedule has not yet been announced by the NTA. The test was conducted in September last year.
Candidates interested in appearing for the examination should keep an eye on the official website neet.nta.nic.in. In addition to English, Hindi and Urdu, the examination will be conducted in nine regional languages throughout the country. Currently, the exam is expected to be conducted in the last week of June.
Also published on Medium.