Delhi HC stays CBSE notification on eligibility norms for NEET

The Delhi High Court today put on hold the operation of a CBSE notification laying down eligibility conditions, including upper age limit of 25 years and 30 years for general and reserved categories respectively, to apply for MBBS course.

The order was passed by a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar on several petitions moved by medical aspirants who are aggrieved by various other eligibility norms which bar them from applying for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)-UG for which the last date for submitting the application is on March 9.

Under the CBSE notification, candidates who have studied in open school, students who have had biology as an additional subject, those who have taken more than two years to complete their 11th and 12th and students who have studied privately were not eligible to apply for the exam.

The court, while passing its interim order, made it clear that while the candidates are allowed to submit their application for the entrance exam, it does not mean that they can sit for it.

The bench also said students from open school or those who have studied privately should belong to a recognised board in order to apply for the exam.

The court said the interim order will continue till the next date of hearing on April 6.