Overseas Indian NEET Candidates exempted from Appearing in exam amidst Pandemic: Telangana HC

Such a direction came from the High Court bench comprising of Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili on Tuesday after the Court took into consideration the submission by the petitioner candidate that amidst the travel ban imposed by Saudi Arabia it would be impractical to reach Dubai for the entrance test scheduled for September 12.

Further, the petitioner also submitted if he would not be exempted from appearing in the exam, it would put him to irreparable loss.

Thus, the High Court bench directed the MCI, now NMC for issuing a Public Notice within three days directing the petitioner that he would appear for the examination in 2022, adds Telangana Today.

Medical Dialogues had recently reported that the National Testing Agency had announced that NEET 2021 would be conducted in Dubai as well. Such a decision by NTA made it possible for the Indian students based in the Middle-East Countries to appear in the exam in Dubai. Apart from this, Kuwait was also made as an exam centre by NTA.

As per the Section 14 of The National Medical Commission Act, 2019, the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test [(NEET (UG)] is a common and uniform entrance examination for admission to undergraduate medical education in all medical institutions, including those governed under any other law in force.

NEET is conducted for determining the eligibility of aspirants seeking admission in MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BSMS, BUMS, and BHMS Courses in different medical colleges all over India. However, this year it will also include BSc Nursing and BSc Life Sciences.

Clearing the examination is a prerequisite for candidates who are getting admitted to foreign institute/university and pursuing foreign medical qualification as well. For those students too, possessing the NEET qualification is mandatory.

Also Read: No, NEET 2020 cannot be held online or overseas: NTA tells Supreme Court

As per the latest media report by Telangana Today, a candidate recently moved to the Telangana High Court and sought one year exemption from NEET or for appearing online. The counsel for the petitioner, Sagarika K contended that the due to the travel ban imposed by Saudi Arabia it would be impractical for the candidate to go to Dubai for appearing in the examination scheduled on September 12. Besides, if the candidate doesn't get an exemption, it would put him to irreparable loss as well.

On the other hand, the counsel for apex medical regulator, argued that the sanctity of the entrance test would be lost if it gets conducted online. The apex medical body also denied exempting the candidate from appearing in the exam considering the pandemic.

However, after the bench heard the contentions and took into account the Delta Variant and Quarantine regulations imposed by several other countries, it directed the regulator for issuing a public notice within three days directing the petitioner to draft an undertaking that he would appear for the examination in 2022.

Thus, the bench disposed of the matter with a relief to the overseas Indian citizens by exempting them from appearing in the examination scheduled to take place on September 12.