Non-biology students who have completed their Class 12 with physics, chemistry and mathematics as their core subjects can also aspire to be doctors.
The National Medical Commission recently relaxed the qualification criteria for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test undergraduate (NEET-UG) for admission to medical and dental courses. Earlier, students who did not opt for biology in their Class 12 exams were not allowed to apply for NEET.
The commission has now allowed such students to do so, but to be eligible for medical admissions, they must clear the Class 12 biology exam from any school board before the admission process begins.
In the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB), Class 12 science stream students are offered three groups: A, B and AB. ‘A’ group students study maths, physics and chemistry; ‘B’ group studies physics, chemistry and biology and ‘AB’ group studies maths, physics, chemistry and biology.
So far, B and AB group students could register for NEET-UG, but ‘A’ group students could not. With the change, ‘A’ group students can also pursue medical studies.