No One Can Study Medical Courses Abroad Without NEET UG Qualification, Rules Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has upheld the regulation that requires Indian students to qualify NEET UG to get admitted to undergraduate medical courses outside the country.

This rule was introduced by the Medical Council of India (MCI) in 2018 to ensure the standard of students taking up medical courses abroad.

The apex court court ruled that making NEET UG mandatory does not violate any legal provisions. The regulation aligns with the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 1997, and ensures uniformity in medical education standards, the court stated.

Some students had challenged the rule arguing that the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, was not amended before introducing the requirement.

But the Supreme Court held that the MCI had the authority to enforce it under Section 33 of the Act.

The court rejected requests for a one-time exemption, stating that students who took admission abroad after the amended regulations were implemented must comply.

This rule applies only to those who wish to study medicine abroad and practice in India. Indian students can still study and work in other countries without NEET.