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- MCI receives criticism against its decision to bar NIOS candidates from NEET examination.
- NIOS is expected to seek legal approach regarding the issue.
NEET aspirants who have been pursuing Class XI and Class XII through NIOS are shocked after MCI barred them from appearing in the national-level medical examination. The Medical Council of India clarified the NIOS, Open School and Private students are not eligible for NEET.
NIOS officials have severely criticised the decision of MCI and expressed concern over the thousands of students pursuing Class 12 through NIOS. The officials further pointed that NEET is just a qualifying exam, and every aspirant must be given a chance to appear for the same. NIOS certification is almost equivalent to CBSE, they claimed.
NIOS students are in a helpless situation, as two years of their valuable time have been ruined due to the decision of MCI. With an aim to offer justice to NIOS students, the officials are in talks with MHRD and Health Ministry.
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The 2012 notification of MCI specified that NIOS students are eligible for NEET examination. Based on the MCI’s guidelines and notification, NIOS issued admission prospectus specifying that NIOS Certificate is eligible to appear for medical entrance exams and seek admission to medical courses. In 2015, thousands of students enrolled in Class 10 through NIOS assuming that they are eligible for the medical entrance exam. Now, these students are in Class 12, and MCI has barred them from appearing to NEET.
Recently, MCI specified that NIOS students lack practical knowledge. Therefore, these students will not cope up with medical education, justified MCI.
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The statement of MCI was condemned by NIOS. The officials of NIOS mentioned that they conduct 30 compulsory regular classes and practicals in schools during the weekends. NIOS organises practical classes for Class 12 students in Biology, Physics and Chemistry.
Earlier this week, over 100 NIOS students protested at the Head Office of NIOS against MCI’s decision. The students demanded the intervention of MHRD or Health Ministry in this regard.
If the MCI does not roll back its decision, NIOS is expected to seek legal approach. Already, a parent from Telangana whose son has been an open school student since June 2017 prepared all the necessary documents and formalities to seek legal approach. Many students have floated online petitions top raise concerns over the arbitrary rule of MCI. A parent who expressed his opinion on the capability of NIOS students pointed that these students are also turning out to be able citizens of the country.Therefore, the government has to give NEET eligibility to these students, he expressed.
March 09, 2018, is the deadline to register for NEET-UG 2018. The government has to take a call in this regard as early as possible so that NIOS students can start submitting NEET 2018 Application Forms.
