NEET mandatory for MBBS abroad, scores to be valid for 3 years: Medical Council of India

The Medical Council of India (MCI) has ruled that National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for aspirants who wish to pursue medicine abroad is mandatory, according to official Gazette notification by the MCI. Students have a reason to rejoice as MCI has extended the validity period of NEET scores to 3 years. Every year, around 7,000 students opt to take up medical courses abroad and go to China, Bangladesh, and Russia to study medicine.

"The result of NEET shall be valid for a period of three (3) years from the date of declaration of result, entitling a candidate to pursue MBBS or equivalent medical course including pre-medical/language course, if any, followed by MBBS or equivalent medical course" for pursuing undergraduate medical course in a foreign medical institution, the MCI notification stated.

NEET will be conducted on May 5, 2019, on a pen and paper based mode throughout the country.

Last March the MCI, in its notification said: “Indian Citizens/Overseas Citizen of India intending to obtain primary medical qualification from any medical institution outside India, on or after May 2018, shall have to mandatorily qualify the NEET for admission to MBBS course besides fulfilling the eligibility criteria for admission to the MBBS course prescribed in the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997.”