After the National Medical Commission (NMC)'s decision on March 9, 2022, to remove the upper age limit set for the eligibility criteria to appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduate candidates, the Supreme Court has disposed of the petitions in the case today, on April 20.
The matter was being heard in the Supreme Court under a group of Special Leave Petitions that were filed after the Delhi High Court held that the age cap was valid, reported LiveLaw. The Supreme Court bench of Justices L Nageshwar Rao and Justice BR Gavai accordingly disposed of the petitions after the NMC's decision.
The apex court had, in an earlier hearing, asked the NMC about its stand on the matter, and whether it was considering removing the cap. The SC had also passed an interim order removing upper age limits for NEET-UG eligibility, paving the way for applications for 2022. The limit was earlier set at 25 years for general candidates and 30 years for reserved candidates by the Central Board of Secondary Education in 2017.
The Supreme Court was also asked to adjudicate on the issues of those students who completed their ten-plus-two from open school, or as private candidates, and those who did not study Biology as a subject in their ten-plus-two, who are also currently not eligible for NEET-UG according to the NMC regulations. The apex court has appointed Senior Advocate Aman Sinha as Amicus Curiae to assist with these matters, which have been adjourned for now.
