NEW DELHI: The Union HRD ministry on Friday clarified that the three maximum times that students can attempt for National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (UG) examinations for admissions to medical and dental colleges across the country will be counted from now and NEET 2017 would be counted as the first attempt.
“It was prescribed that the candidates who have already availed permissible three attempts will not be able to apply for NEET-2017. Department of Health and Family Welfare has communicated that Medical Council of India (MCI) has clarified that the attempts made by candidates for AIPMT/NEET prior to 2017 should not be counted and accordingly appearance in NEET-2017 will be counted as first attempt for all the candidates, irrespective of their previous attempts in AIPMT/NEET,” the HRD ministry said in a statement.
“Accordingly, it is notified for all concerned that NEET-2017 will be counted as first attempt for all the candidates. Changes have been effected by CBSE accordingly in the online application,” an official statement said.
The CBSE had on January 31 announced NEET (UG), 2017 examinations on May 7, 2017 for admissions for all the seats of MBBS and BDS courses across the country. It had stated that “there shall be three attempts available uniformly for all the candidates in NEET examination,”, which has now been amended and notified.
The upper age limit of the candidates appearing for NEET (UG) has been fixed at 25 years on the date of conduct of examination. A five-year relaxation has been given to the reserved category candidates.
This year in all the seats of MBBS and BDS courses, admission will be made through NEET (UG) 2017, according to CBSE.
Around 10 lakh candidates are expected to appear in the NEET examinations which would be held in 1500 examination centres spread across 80 cities across the country. CBSE will hold NEET-UG, 2017 for the first time for admission in MBBS and BDS courses.