Open school candidates INELIGIBLE for MBBS abroad: Medical Council Of India

The Medical Council of India (MCI) has issued a notice clearly stating that a person who has passed his/her 10+2 from NIOS or State Open Schooling Boards, is not eligible to take admission in MBBS or equivalent medical course in a medical university/medical college outside the country. The apex medical regulator has also stated that in such cases, the Medical Council of India will not accept applications for Eligibility Certificate from all students intending to take admission in foreign medical institutions from the academic year 2017-18 and onwards till further orders.

"Only those students will be given eligibility certificate who have done school certificate examination, which is equivalent to 10+2 higher secondary examination after 12 years of study. The last two years of study should comprise of physics, chemistry, biology/biotechnology, and mathematics or any other elective subjects with English," the circular said, reports HT

"Where the course content is not as prescribed for 10+2 education structure of the national committee, the candidates will have to undergo a one-year pre-professional training before admission to the medical colleges," it added.

Not only this, the Council has further stated, that such candidates will also be ineligible to appear in the Screening Test for obtaining a registration to practice medicine in the country.

The notice came in response to the increasing queries in this regard with the council

a number of candidates who have done their 10+2 from National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) or State Open Schools and desire to take admission in MBBS or equivalent medical course in a medical university outside the country in the academic year 2017-18, are approaching the Council for Eligibility Certificate.

MCI in response got the matter legally analysed

the Council Office has got the matter legally examined as regards the issuance of Eligibility Certificate in respect of the applicants who have passed 10+2 from NIOS and are desirous of taking admission in MBBS or equivalent medical course in a medical University outside the country and it has been advised that any candidate who has not undergone classroom training in the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English, simultaneous and co-terminus including the taking practical examination in class 11th and 12 , is not eligible for grant of Eligibility Certificate for the purpose of seeking admission in primary medicine course in a foreign medical institute and therefore also ineligible to appear in the Screening Test for obtaining registration to practice medicine in the country.

The above said opinion was considered by the Executive Committee of the Medical Council of India at its meeting held on 22/11/2016 and the Committee accepted the same.

The council, in the notice also laid down the requirements for the Eligibility Certificate to pursue Primary Medical Qualification aboard

the requirement of obtaining Eligibility Certificate to pursue Primary Medical Qualification (MBBS or its equivalent) by an Indian Citizen/Oversees Citizen of India is mandatory in terms of section 13(4B) of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and as per the eligibility criteria as laid down in the prevailing MCI Regulations namely "Eligibility Requirement for Taking Admission in an undergraduate medical course in a Foreign Medical Institution Regulation, 2002" no candidate shall be allowed to be admitted to the MBBS or equivalent medical course unless:­

1. He/she shall complete the age of 17 years on or before 31st December of
the year of admission to such course

2. He/she passed qualifying examination as under:-

The higher secondary examination or the Indian school Certificate Examination which is equivalent to 10+2 Higher Secondary Examination after a period of 12 years study, the last two years of study comprising of Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology and Mathematics or any other elective subjects with English at a level not less than core course of English as prescribed by the NationalCouncil of Educational Research and Training after the introduction of the 10+2+3 years educational structure as recommended by the National Committee on education

Note: Where the course content is not as prescribed for 10+2 education structure of the National Committee, the candidates will have to undergo a period of one year pre-professional training before admission to the Medical colleges

Or

(b) The intermediate examination in science of an Indian University/Board or other recognised examining body with Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Bio-technology which shall include a practical test in these subjects and also English as a compulsory subject;