HC asks CBSE to accept open school NEET applications

The Delhi high court has asked CBSE not to reject the applications of open school candidates for the National Eligibility- cumEntrance Test ( NEET)UG, a pre- qualification for pursuing MBBS course, till the challenge to the exam's eligibiliIty criteria is decided.

A bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar told the Central Board of Secondary Education ( CBSE), which conducts the test, not to reject the applications of the 13 MBBS aspirants who have moved the court fearing they would be barred as they did their schooling from open schools. It listed the matter before another bench which is hearing a batch of pleas against the Board's notification laying down the eligibilty criteria, including the upper age limit of 25 and 30 years for general and reserved categories respectively, to apply for the test. The court also issued notice to the Centre, CBSE and the Medical Council of India ( MCI) and sought their replies on the plea, filed through advocate Jose Abraham, which has also sought quashing of a clause in the notification which bars students from open schools or those who have studied privately from giving the test.

Thirteen MBBS aspirants from Kerala have submitted in their plea that they have completed their higher secondary school education ( 10 plus 2) from open schools or through private schooling and under the notification, they were barred from sitting for NEET- UG exam. In February, a bench of the high court had put on hold the operation of CBSE's January notification. The Bench said students who applied for the exams are studying privately or from open schools must belong to a recongnised board in order to give the NEET UG examinations.