NEET-UG to be conducted in 8 languages from Academic Year 2017-18

In a relief to medical aspirants in India the NEET-UG medical entrance test from 2017 can be taken in 8 national languages.

Under the directions of the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda, after rigorous and extensive consultations with State Governments about their examination pattern and other related aspects, it has been decided that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) from AY 2017-18 will be conducted in following 8 languages:

1. Hindi
2. English
3. Gujarati
4. Marathi
5. Bengali
6. Assamese
7. Telugu and
8. Tamil

In addition to this, the candidate qualifying NEET will be eligible for All India quota and other quotas under the State governments/Institutes irrespective of the medium in which exam is taken by the candidate, subject to other eligibility criteria.

This is in continuation with the meeting of Union Health Minister Shri J P Nadda with the Health Ministers and Health Secretaries/representatives of 18 States/UTs in May this year towards implementation of NEET across States.

The Joint Secretary – Medical Education Mr. A.K Singhal stated ‘the collaborative efforts of Central Health Ministry with the State health Ministries have lead to this decision so as to bring parity for the students who have taken the State Board exams’.

NEET and its implementation in regional languages is the outcome of Governments commitment of bringing about transparency in medical education and removing malpractices.

On Wednesday the Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda tweeted about this decision.