New Delhi, March 24: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Popularly known as NEET, has been made mandatory for pursuing MBBS course abroad, stated an official Gazette notification by the Medical Council of India (MCI). According to data, every year, nearly 7,000 students choose to take up medical courses abroad. Most of the students choose Russia and China for medical courses.

Earlier, last year, Union Ministry approved the proposal of MCI to amend the Screening Test Regulations (STR), making it mandatory to qualify NEET to pursue medical courses abroad. The new regulations came into effect after the publication in the Official Gazette on March 15. NEET PG Counselling 2019 Begins: Check List of Documents Needed for Seat Allotment Online at nbe.edu.in.

According to the notification by MCI, "the result of NEET shall be valid for a period of three (3) years from the date of declaration of result, entitling a candidate to pursue MBBS or equivalent medical course including pre-medical/language course, if any, followed by MBBS or equivalent medical course" for pursuing undergraduate medical course in a foreign medical institutions.

Prior, the students were allowed to pursue the MBBS abroad just by clearing a Screening Test called Foreign Medical Graduates Exam (FMGE). The exam was used as a mean for registration to practice in India after the completion of the primary medical qualification (MBBS) abroad.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 24, 2019 09:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).