NEET 2023: NTA revises eligibility criteria for OCI candidates, details

Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released a corrigendum regarding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2023 for the candidates who are registering under the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) category.

Now, OCI medical aspirants can now apply for admission to all undergraduate (UG) medical programmes in India, subject to rules issued by the authorities. OCI cardholders were earlier allowed for admission against a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) seat or a supernumerary seat only.

“An Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) will be eligible for admission to the Undergraduate Medical/Dental/Ayurveda/ Unani/Siddha/ Homeopathy Programmes in India subject to the rules/regulations/notifications issued from time-to-time by the respective regulatory bodies or counselling Authorities/Admission Authorities in conformity with the Policy Decision of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and/or Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA),” reads the official notice.

National Testing Agency (NTA) informed the candidates about the Corrigendum to Clause 5.2.2 in the information bulletin of NEET (UG) 2023. In pursuance of the Judgment dated 03.02.2023 of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in W.P(C) 891/2021 and connected matters, aspiring OCI Candidates of NEET (UG) 2023 are hereby informed that the amended provision of Clause 5.2.2 of the Information Bulletin of NEET (UG) 2023 dealing with the eligibility of OCI Cardholders for NEET (UG), shall be read as follows -

Amended Provision -

An Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) will be eligible for admission to the Undergraduate Medical/Dental/Ayurveda/ Unani/Siddha/ Homeopathy Courses in India subject to the rules/regulations/notifications issued from time to time by the respective regulatory bodies/Counselling Authorities/Admission Authorities in conformity with the Policy Decision of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and/or Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Existing Provision –

The Ministry of Home Affairs vide Notification dated 4 March 2021 specified the rights to which an OCI cardholder shall be entitled under the Citizenship Act, 1955. Clause (4) (ii) of the said Notification reads as under: “(4) parity with Non-Resident Indians in the matter of (ii) appearing for the all India entrance tests such as National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Joint Entrance Examination (Main), Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced), or such other tests to make them eligible for admission only against any Non-Resident Indian seat or any supernumerary seat: Provided that the OCI cardholder shall not be eligible for admission against any seat reserved exclusively for Indian citizens.”

The above Notification provides the following Explanation: “The OCI Cardholder (including a PIO card holder) is a foreign national holding passport of a foreign country and is not a citizen of India.”

Similarly, the PIO cardholder and foreign nationals shall not be eligible for admission against any seat reserved exclusively for Indian citizens. Hence, OCI/PIO will be treated as foreigners and be eligible for NRI seats only and will not be eligible for Indian National Seats, including paid seats of deemed universities.

To view the notice, click on the link below –

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/notice20230331120410-206713.pdf