Respected Sir,

Till 2016 the eligibility criteria for medical entrance exams were:

1. No Attempt Limit & Age Limit of 25 years (General) & 30 years (Reserved) students for 15% all India seats.

2. No Attempt Limit & No Age Limit for the 85% State Quota Seats.

But the Notification issued by CBSE on 31st of January 2017 stated that there will be an attempt limit of 3 for all students of all categories & an Age limit of 25 years (General) & 30 years (Reserved) students for all the 100% seats.

CBSE quoted Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Notification Letter No. U.12023/16/2010-ME-II and stated that there will be ATTEMPT LIMIT of 3 & AGE LIMIT of 25/30 for general/reserved Students respectively. But the truth is that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Notification Letter No. U.12023/16/2010-ME-II states that there should be NO ATTEMPT LIMIT & NO AGE LIMIT, even on the 15% all India Quota seats.

Even the MCI regulations state that the student shall complete the age of 17 years on or before 31st December, of the year admission to the MBBS course. MCI has not capped any upper age limit for MBBS course.

When Respected J.P.Nadda Sir, brought the NEET bill in parliament, he had said “We are not going to touch the state quota. We will give the name, ranking, domicile & percentile. Now it is for the state governments to decide and give extra marks & give admission to reserved categories.”

But CBSE did not follow any rules and made new rules of their own. And now they are trying to influence MCI & Union of India & Government of India to support this change.

Sir, Changes in academic system is bound to happen and they must happen. But these changes should not be so abrupt and sudden that it affects the career and future of lakhs of students at one go. Changes must be made with prior notification, by giving ample time of at least 2 to 3 years, so that the students do not panic and get time to re-evaluate their study strategies.

If CBSE is so inclined to bring these changes, then it should be applied form 2019/2020 onwards, giving all the medical aspirants at least a couple of years. There will be no loss to either CBSE or MCI or Health Ministry if the upper age limit is applied from 2019/2020 onwards instead of 2017. Why the urgency? Will it produce monsters? It will produce doctors only. We are students and not terrorists/murderers/criminals that need to be stopped immediately, right now. And neither are we black money holders or tax evaders who needs to be stopped and an emergency step like demonetization be taken with immediate effect. The change in rules for medical entrance exams can take place in a few years gradually. That would be more peaceful and won’t bring disaster. Everyone will be at ease with it and welcome it.

Every student must be given chance till 2018 at least. CBSE has already wasted almost 2 months of so many aspirants. And this time is very crucial. Maximum aspirants have moved ahead of us in preparation by now. And even if we are allowed for 2017 only then this competition is unfair because this competition is so tough that we are going to lose out of it by default. No 25+ aspirant is able to focus on studies. Our full year has been wasted by CBSE. Please take some strict action against CBSE. No student in any course should be barred from it just because of age. There is no age for learning. It’s also our constitutional right.

The previous notification of NEET 2017 was rolled back partially on 03.02.2017 stating that 2017 will be counted as 1st attempt. It helped many students below the age of 25 but there are still lakhs of students who are stuck because of injustice & partiality to them due of UPPER AGE LIMIT of 25/30 even on the STATE QUOTA.

Sir, what we are saying is that when CBSE have capped the no. of attempts to 3 then make it uniform for all. Why bar so many students who have crossed age of 25 or 30? There was no such upper age limit in the STATE QUOTA ever. So every student of every category deserves fair chance and justice like many others. Everyone should be given 3 attempts uniformly till 2019. After that everyone will be out of the competition automatically without any chaos or guilt. We are not asking for 5 attempts just because we belong to SC/ST/OBC category. We are asking for just 3 even attempts for all. That’s our right.

And Sir, when there is going to be only one exam for admission to all medical courses including MBBS, BDS, BHMS, BAMS, etc... is it right to apply any age limit to them? Every person has the right to choose their career and profession irrespective of their age.

People are arguing that when limit was put on ENGINEERING, no one protested, then why protest in MEDICAL? Please look at the number of seats of engineering. Its more than 15.5 lakhs & the aspirants are less. But in Medical, seats are very less & the aspirants are much more. Engineering seats go vacant each year but that’s never the case in govt. Medical colleges. The competition is tough & we try hard. Moreover, AGE LIMIT is applicable only on IITs, so aspirants of any age still have option to purse engineering from other colleges. AGE LIMIT in CLAT is applicable to a group of colleges and so other aspirants still have option to pursue their career in Law from other colleges. But in medical courses including MBBS, BDS, BHMS, BAMS, etc... there is going to be only one exam & we won’t have any other option to pursue our dream. So is it right to apply any age limit in NEET?

Sir, why is CBSE so adamant? If a poor wants to study medicine he can sell his house or kidney, they don’t care. CBSE is an exam conducting body but still it is interfering in the domain of MCI & Government of India which regulates the medical education. And also now they are trying to influence MCI & Union of India & Government of India to support their wrong motives.

When MCI has not made any amendment in its regulations and acts then why CBSE is enforcing its own eligibility conditions upon MCI. When they are ready to give 8 years for 3 attempts to general candidates, 13 years for 3 attempts to reserve candidates then what is the problem in allowing us for 3 attempts in 3 consecutive years? Why they want to bar us immediately.

Indian Railways is talking exams of around 92-96 lakhs students & they don’t have any issue, but CBSE has problem with just 8-9 lakh students? Why are they against the students rights? Why are they not supporting the poor?

There are many students who work to earn money to support their family and then they manage time for their studies to fulfil their dreams of becoming a doctor one day. But the CBSE NEET Notification & partial roll back have left us & many others like us with no option other than suicide. They are trying to deprive us of our hopes, dreams, right to education & right to chose career.

Please help us Sir, please. Get us our right. We all will be grateful to you all for life.

Please take strict action against CBSE for this inhuman and wrong behaviour.

Please get us all 3 attempts (minimum 2 attempts till 2018) in NEET. Please.

Please help us Sir. We all will be grateful to you all for life.