India cancels medical entrance test exemption for Hindu refugees

The move comes after the government changed admission rules for foreign nationals to pursue medical courses to comply with a Supreme Court order on the issue last year, reports Hindustan Times. The BJP-led government last year had started allowing persecuted religious migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh to pursue medical courses through self-financing schemes based on their Class 12 marks. They were required to score 60% in science subjects and 50% in English and were exempted from appearing in any entrance examination. “The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education, India) has issued a notification that from academic year 2017-18 onwards, admissions in all medical/dental colleges in India will be based on the Neet (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test), including for foreign nationals,” sources said. “This will include religious minority migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh based in India who can apply for MEA’s (Indian Ministry of External Affairs) self-financing scheme for MBBS/MD courses for foreigners from developing countries since last year”, sources said. There is a list of 26 colleges from where the Indian government facilitates the admission of such students on self-financing basis. The change in the norm is based on last year’s Supreme Court’s ruling that made a common entrance test mandatory for medical, dental courses.