Passed +2 with PCM and Biology as an optional in regular school. I am eligible for NEET. Open school and NIOS with Bio as optional are not

Hey Manmeet!

As per the NEET eligibility criteria, candidates must have undertaken 2 years of regular and continuous study of Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Bio-technology at 10+2 level with practical tests in each of these subjects. This means that your Class XI and Class XII must have been pursued in consecutive years with the subjects of Physics, Chemistry and Biology in both. Apart from this, you should have cleared Physics, Chemistry and Biology with an aggregate of 50% and also passed in English separately.

Now coming to Biology as an additional subject. There are three meanings to Biology as an additional subject in Class XII:

• That you did not study Biology in Class XI but only opted for it in Class XII as an extra subject to the ones you already had, or
• That you cleared your Class XII without Biology but wanted to improve your overall scores so opted for an improvement exam and took Biology as a subject, or
• You wanted Biology in your Class XII marksheet so you appeared only for Biology separately after clearing your Class XII exam earlier.

It does not matter if Biology appears in your marksheet as optional or additional or elective or with any other term as long as you have studied it in both Classes 11 and 12. If you have, then you are eligible.

Hope this is clear now! All the best!

Hi Manmeet, if you had Bio as an additional subject it can be a problem because as per NEET-CBSE criteria,  'study of Biology/Bio-technology as an Additional Subject at 10+2 level also shall not be permissible.' So this creates an issue as per NEET eligibility criteria.

And if you have done from open or NIOS, then you are not eligible.