As Medical Council of India (MCI) makes it mandatory to crack the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for pursuing medical courses abroad this May onwards, those who have enrolled for studies in Philippines in the past two years may face a problem of rejection.
The medical course in Philippines is different from that in former USSR countries or China as the candidates get admitted in a two-year BS course before they can join a medical college — Philippines follows a 14-year schooling pattern for gaining eligibility for medical courses unlike 12 years of schooling in India, China or Russian countries.
After BS courses, the candidates need to clear NMAT conducted by the Philippines authorities for medical admission. So those who were admitted in 2016-17 and 2017-18 in the BS course and are waiting to join the medical course also have to clear NEET first to bag the ‘Eligibility Certificate’ or ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the MCI, argues a senior education consultant.
However, those who join the medical colleges by April 2018 can be considered ‘safe’. In fact, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Government of India has also clarified that those who have taken admission as per current regulations in foreign medical schools are exempted from NEET qualification.
However, a majority of candidates, who went to Philippines in the past two years, are yet to join the medical colleges as they are yet to complete the process of BS and NMAT, says Rajaram of Medico Abroad Consultants.
Several parents are in confusion over the new NEET norm’s applicability on their wards in Philippines for the BS course. Consultants like Mr. Rajaram advise students to first apply for NEET online, the last date of which is March 9. It is better to take the test coming to India and be safe rather than getting caught in the rigmarole of bureaucracy later, he says.
Those heading to China or Russia may not face the problem as they join the medical course directly unlike in Philippines.
There is a huge rush seen for medical courses in Philippines in the last three to four years with consultants reaching out to parents in small towns and villages too.
Parents who faced problems recently due to “excess admissions” done by the colleges at the behest of misleading consultants allege that their wards were being deliberately detained in BS to show correct numbers in medical colleges.
Parents also reveal that the pass marks for the medical course has been increased to 70% this year, while it is 50% in India and 60% in China. It is also being said that the BS course duration is likely to be increased to three years. As per the Philippines norms, only one-third of the seats should be offered to foreign students.
