Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The government’s decision to remove the age bar for appearing in NEET-UG is a welcome development as it will give more opportunities to the aspiring doctors, especially to students from rural areas and to paramedics to pursue their dreams.
This was the broad reaction of the students, directors of coaching institutes, dentists, pathologists and nurses Free Press talked with to the decision. However, some said that it would not be practically possible for them to join MBBS courses at an advanced age as they can’t afford the required money and time.
The National Medical Commission (NMC), on Wednesday, announced that the upper age limit for all candidates appearing in the undergraduate medical entrance exam NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) has been removed. Till now, 25 years was the upper age limit for general category candidates appearing in NEET.
Director of Quantum Classes, MP Nagar Zone II, Aastik Udenia, said that students work very hard for NEET. They are extremely disappointed when they become ineligible due to their age. Moreover, he said, the education sector was seriously hit by the Covid pandemic. Coaching institutes remained closed for the better part of the past two years. That deprived many students of a chance to prepare for the examination. “The decision will come as a big relief for them,” he said.
He, however, said that in the long term, the government needs to open more medical colleges so that middle-class students can acquire an education in the field of medicine at an affordable cost. “It will solve the problem of shortage of doctors in the country and also, our youngsters will not be forced to travel abroad for enrolling in MBBS courses,” he said. “There are just around 88,000 MBBS seats in the country at present, which are likely to go up to 1.5 lakh by 2025. Many of these seats are in private medical colleges, which charge very high fees,” he said.
Bhupendra Singh, who runs coaching classes in the Old City, said that students from the rural areas often take longer to make decisions about their careers. “Many decide to appear in NEET after completing their B.Sc. Such students will benefit by the decision,” he said.
Shailendra Dubey, a dentist, said that while theoretically the decision allows him to appear in NEET, in practice, he won’t be able to do it. “I am 30 now. Can I afford to spend another five years studying for MBBS? Where will I get the money to pay the fees from?” he said.
Smriti Pedia, a nurse at Hamidia Hospital said that while she would definitely like to become a doctor, but “I have my job and I have my family responsibilities. Where is the time to prepare for the entrance?” she says.
Arunesh Singh, 26, however is very happy. “Hamko to doctor banna hi hai,” he says. Singh has done BMLT (Bachelor in Medical Laboratory Technology) and is running a small pathology lab.
In the same vein, Nilesh Dhakad, 27, who had made two unsuccessful attempts at NEET said that now he will be able to pursue his dream. “I made the decision to become a doctor quite late. Now my age will not be a bar,” he said.
