Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: Students who have passed 10+2 from National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) or state open schooling boards (SOS) will not be eligible to pursue MBBS or an equivalent course outside the country as per a new circular of the Medical Council of India (MCI). It excludes the candidates who have appeared practical examination in physics, chemistry or biology in class 11 and 12.
It is mandatory under Section 13(4B) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 for an Indian student to obtain eligibility certificate to pursue medical courses. The eligibility certificate is a legal proof given by the MCI that the medical university, which the student attends to study MBBS abroad, is authorised by the medical education regulator.
However, the MCI has stopped accepting applications for eligibility certificate from students intending to take admission to foreign medical institutions, till further orders.
The MCI circular dated August 9 stated that the decision has been taken as per legal procedure after noticing that a number of students who have pursued intermediate from NIOS or SOSs approached it for eligibility certificate.
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MCI guidelines clearly mention that a student is eligible to pursue MBBS or equivalent medical course if he has passed higher secondary examination or the Indian School Certificate Examination with last two years of his study comprising of physics, chemistry, biology/ biotechnology and mathematics or any other elective subjects with English as prescribed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training after the introduction of the 10+2+3 years educational structure recommended by the National Committee on Education.
The circular further read that if the course content is not as prescribed by the national committee, the candidates will have to undergo a one-year pre-professional training before admission to the medical colleges.