NEET Eligibility Criteria 2022: No barrier in the Upper Age Limit

NEET Eligibility Criteria 2022: The National Medical Commission (NMC) on March 9, released a notice stating that there shall be no upper age limit to appear for NEET (National Eligibility and Entrance Test). The National Testing Agency (NTA) will soon release the eligibility criteria for NEET 2022. Medical aspirants must go through NEET eligibility criteria 2022 before filling out the application form for the same.

It is to be noted that no aspirant will be allowed to fill out the NEET 2022 application form if they fail to meet the prescribed legitimate criteria. Graduate Medical Education, 1997 which was last amended in 2018 is the basis of NEET exam eligibility. Earlier, there were lots of restrictions on the NEET age limit and subjects as well as the type of school but as per the revised NEET eligibility criteria 2022, all those restrictions are now removed.

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NEET Eligibility Criteria 2022: Earlier age limit

Earlier, the upper age limit of NEET was 25 years for the general category and 30 years for reserved category candidates. The upper age limit criterion has been removed from the eligibility of NEET 2022 as has been the clause of open school students not being eligible. The decision over the upper age limit for NEET exam eligibility has been challenged in the Supreme Court. Despite pending court judgment, candidates are allowed to appear for the exam and admissions.

Who is eligible for NEET? 

Citizens of India, Non-resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), and foreign nationals are eligible to appear for NEET 2022 exam. Aspirants who fulfill the below-mentioned eligibility criteria of NEET and complete the application process within the stipulated date will be eligible for appearing for the undergraduate medical entrance test. Aspirants who wish to study medicine abroad but wish to come back to India for practice NEET are now mandatory for them also.

1. Candidates must have passed 10+2 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and English as core subjects from a recognized board.
2. Class 12 or equivalent appearing aspirants are also eligible to apply for NEET.
3. Candidates must have completed 17 years as on December 31, 2022.
4. The class 12 percentage required for NEET 2022 exam is separate for each category and can be listed as under. NEET eligibility marks in class 12 to be considered are aggregate marks only for PCB subjects
5. The reservations are as follows: UR – 50%, OBC/SC/ST – 40%, PWD – 45%.
6. There are no restrictions on the maximum NEET attempt limit 2022.
7. Indian Nationals, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs & Foreign Nationals aspirants are eligible to apply. 

NEET Eligibilty Criteria 2022: What are the qualifying examination codes? 

While filling out the application form, aspirants have to select the NEET 2022 qualification codes for the qualifying examination. The codes are listed below:

Code 01: Candidates who will be appearing for their Class 12 board exam in 2022 and waiting for their board’s result have to choose this code. However, till the time of admission, such candidates must have qualified their class 12 as per the specified criterion, failing which they will become ineligible.

Code 02: Aspirants who are studying from the higher/senior secondary examination or Indian School Certificate Examination (ISCE) of Council for School Indian Certificate (CISCE) which is equivalent to the Class 12 examination and comes after a period of 12 years of study have to choose this code. As per the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), the last two years of this study must comprise science subjects namely Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and Mathematics or any other elective subjects with English as a core subject. Candidates who have qualified for Class 12 in the year 2020 or before and have not pursued any other course after the completion of Class 12 have to choose this code.

Code 03: Aspirants who have successfully completed their Intermediate/Pre-degree Examination in Science of an Indian University/Board or other recognized body with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and also English as a compulsory subject have to choose this code. The course should have a practical test in science subjects. Candidates whose class 12 or its equivalent qualifying examination is completed from a state board must also choose this code.

Code 04: Aspirants who have completed a Pre-professional/Pre-medical Examination after passing either the Higher Secondary Examination or the Pre-University or an equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/ Biotechnology & English must have to choose this code while applying. The Pre-professional/ Pre-medical examination shall include practical tests in these subjects and also English as a compulsory subject.

Code 05: With Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/ Biotechnology as mandatory subjects, candidates who are pursuing the three years degree course from a recognized University and have qualified the first year including practical tests in each of the aforementioned subjects have to choose this code. Candidates must note that the qualifying exam here must be a University Examination and candidates should have passed the earlier qualifying examination namely 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/ Biotechnology with English as a core course.

Code 06: With not less than two of the subjects Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Botany, Zoology)/ Biotechnology, candidates who have qualified the BSc Examination from an Indian recognized University must choose this code during the filling process of application. Further, they must have passed the earlier qualifying examination (10+2) with English, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

Code 07: Aspirants who have qualified any other examination which in scope and standard (Last two years of 10+2 Study comprising of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/ Biotechnology; which shall include practical test in these subjects) is found to be equivalent to the Intermediate Science Examination of an Indian University/Board, have to choose this code. Aspirants who have completed the qualifying examination from a foreign country are also required to fill in this code.

NEET Eligibility Criteria 2022: What is the basic criteria for qualification? 

Aspirants who qualify for NEET 2022 exam can apply for the 15% All India Quota seats, 100% of the seats in Deemed universities as well as Central Universities, ESIC, and AFMC as well. This counseling for NEET will be conducted at an All India level by MCI.

Jammu and Kashmir candidates are not eligible for 15% of All India Quota seats unless they have filled a self-declaration form to be submitted along with the NEET application form 2022. The self-declaration for NEET 2022 application form denotes that the candidate wishes to participate in the counseling for 15% All India Quota seats and would forgo the home state counseling in return. As per the NEET eligibility criteria, such candidates will be eligible for the seats of Deemed Universities, ESIC, and AFMC colleges.

The allotment for 85% seats of DU will be open to candidates who have completed Class 10 and 12 from Delhi while the Institutional Quota seats of AMU will be exclusively for AMU students only. 

The 85% state quota seats mean seats in all government colleges of the states/union territories respectively. Counseling for such seats will be conducted by the respective state authorities. To apply for state quota seats, candidates must fulfill the NEET 2022 eligibility criteria laid down by each state or union territory authority and include domicile, conditions too.

Admission to private medical and dental colleges through NEET will also be subject to the policies of the State/ Union Territory.

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