National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is the gateway to MBBS, BDS or AYUSH courses for medical aspirants in the country. NEET is taken by more than six lakhs candidates every year for admission to some of the best medical colleges in India. NEET 2019 is scheduled to be held on May 5, 2019. The Admit Card for the same will be released on April 15th, 2019. The registration for NEET 2019 has started from November 1st, 2018 and will continue till November 30th, 2018.
In the earlier part of 2018, it was announced that NEET 2019 will be held bi-annually and in an online mode, unlike before. However, the decision was later cancelled as the authorities thought that it will be difficult for candidates to handle two examinations in one year. So, in most part, the NEET 2019 examination does not differ much from the previous year. The test will be in pen and paper mode and the syllabus will remain unchanged. It will be held in eight languages and the pattern also remains the same.
Changes in NEET 2019
The most important change that has happened with NEET 2019 is the change of the examination authority. Until 2018, NEET was conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education. From 2019 onwards, the exam will be conducted by the National Testing Agency or NTA. Also, the examination timing for the exam has been changed. Unlike 2018 when NEET was held in the morning, NEET 2019 will be held in the afternoon, from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm. The NTA has also decided to increase the number of test centres for NEET exam. While earlier examinations were held across 136 centres, NEET 2019 will be held in 154 exam centres, including rural areas.
There have been a few other significant changes that have been introduced in NEET exam this time. Here we will discuss the top five changes that have been announced for NEET 2019.
Aadhar Not Mandatory Anymore
According to Supreme Court rule, students registering for NEET 2019 will not be needed to enter their Aadhar Card details as before. Any Government issued identity proof like Passport, Voter Card, PAN Card, Ration Card, and Driving License will be valid for NEET 2019 registrations.
Mock Tests and Free Tuition for Candidates
The NTA has announced to provide free coaching to NEET aspirants from the next year along with providing access to practice tests and mock tests. 2697 mock test centers have been set up for NEET 2019 aspirants. The same centers will be converted into free coaching centers.
Visually Impaired Candidates are Allowed for NEET 2019
Abiding by the Supreme Court ruling on August 25, 2018, students with low vision and suffering from other forms of visual disability will be able to appear for and qualify in NEET 2019. Such students will be able to avail the 5% reservation for disabled candidates.
Candidates can Apply for Medicine Courses Abroad After Qualifying NEET 2019
The Medical Council of India (MCI) has decided to allow students who have not registered for NEET 2018 to enroll for MBBS courses abroad, as a one-time exemption. But students who plan to pursue MBBS outside India in 2019 should qualify NEET 2019.
Video lectures by IIT experts on the NTA website
The NTA has also provided special study materials for the NEET 2019 aspirants on their official websites nta.nic.in. Students will be able to access video lectures by IIT experts on subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Biology for free of cost. The video lectures cover all the topics in the syllabus and students can access them without any prior registration.
Apart from all these changes, few other changes have also been introduced for NEET 2019. Ayush aspirants from Karnataka will not need to qualify NEET 2019. The states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will be participating in the All India Counselling from 2019, so students will not need to submit self-declaration forms. Also, to evaluate both the practice tests and the final tests. The conducting authorities will be using standardization techniques and psychometric methods. The psychometric tests will be set by experts and will be scientifically prepared.