The Supreme Court has ruled that Indian students who want to study MBBS abroad must qualify for the NEET UG exam if they plan to practice in India. The court rejected petitions challenging this rule and refused to grant any one-time exemption.
This regulation was introduced in 2018 by the Medical Council of India (MCI) to ensure that students meet the necessary standards before becoming doctors in India. The court stated that making NEET UG compulsory is fair and does not violate any laws. It follows the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 1997, and helps maintain uniform standards in medical education.
Some students argued that the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, was not amended before enforcing this rule. However, the Supreme Court ruled that the MCI had the authority to introduce the requirement under Section 33 of the Act.
The decision applies only to students who want to return to India and practice medicine after studying abroad. Those who wish to study and work in other countries can do so without taking NEET UG.
