NEW DELHI: Days after CBSE fixed upper age limit of 25 years for general category students and 30 years for reserved category for NEET 2018, a group of students moved
Supreme Court challenging the decision saying that such restriction are not there in pursuing other courses like engineering and law.
A batch of ten students from different states and who are above 25 years of age has questioned the validity of the decision and contended that age restriction was not there for appearing for entrance examination of other medical colleges like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER).
The petition, filed through advocate
Amit Kumar, said "In almost all developed countries such as USA, Canada, UK and most of
European Union, Australia etc. there is no upper-age limit for studying medicine course if the student is otherwise competent to undertake medicine courses. Therefore, there is no rational behind the decision of as to why a candidate above the age of 25 years is not competent to take medicine courses in India. Similarly, there is no upper-age limit for pursuing engineering and law courses and the reputed IITs and NLUs have not provided for any upper-age limit for admission".
The students also alleged that the apex court had recently stayed
Bar Council of India regulations for prescribing for maximum age-limit for taking admission to law courses to 20 years (for integrated course) and 30 years (for 3 year course) on the ground that there was no rationality behind fixing the age limit.
"There is no upper age limit for enrolment as medical practitioner. Also, there is no age bar for students to undertake their medicine courses from other countries and come back to India and get them enrolled as medical practitioner in India after clearing the screening tests. Therefore, an Indian citizen is allowed to complete his medicine course from outside India by paying hefty fees irrespective of his upper-age and come back to India to practice medicine, but the same person is not allowed to sit even for NEET examination for admission to MBBS course in the country if he is above 25 years of age," the petition said.
