NEET 2017 to be counted as first attempt: CBSE

New Delhi: In a good news for aspiring doctors, the Union health ministry on Friday declared that they will get three chances to clear the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (NEET), raising hopes of thousands of candidates who had failed in three earlier attempts and were ineligible to take the test again.

Earlier rules of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which conducts the exams, had held candidates ineligible to take NEET this year if they had failed thrice in the entrance exams, which was earlier the All-India Pre-Medical Test.

The CBSE, which will be conducting NEET (UG) in May this year, decided that there shall be an upper age limit of 25 years as on the date of exam with five years relaxation for reserved categories and a maximum of three  attempts for all candidates.

In the information bulletin published by CBSE on its website, it was mentioned that the candidates who have already appeared in AIPMT/NEET on three occasions are not allowed to take this examination.

“It is now clarified that since any new regulation takes effect prospectively, NEET-2017 shall be counted as the first attempt for this purpose irrespective of the previous attempts in AIPMT/NEET, subject to the upper age limit,” said the health ministry. 

Significantly, data pertaining to applications already rejected will be erased so that rejected applications can be filed afresh. In a press release, CBSE has announced that all candidates who could not fill up the application form due to the condition of three attempts at AIPMT/NEET will now be able to fill up their application form.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2017 for admission to MBBS/ BDS courses in medical/dental colleges will be conducted on May 7, 2017 across 80 cities, for which the Central Board of Secondary Education has started the online application process from Tuesday and will continue till March 1, 2017.