New Delhi: Overseas Citizens of India will be considered equivalent to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) for medical entrance formalities. However, an order of the Union Home Department in this regard will only have a prospective effect, clarified the Supreme Court.
The order would be effective from the day of its issue, March 4, 2021. The benefits availed by the Overseas Citizens of India or OCI card-holders before the said date or their rights will not be affected by the Government’s decision, the Supreme Court said, passing a ruling on the pleas questioning the same.
Earlier, the OCI card-holders were allowed to be considered as the General category during the NEET-UG 2021-2022 counselling, through an interim order. This was applicable only for that particular year.
In the following year, the Court heard the case elaborately and brought a clarification on the matter. With this, the OCI card-holders enrolled after March 4, 2021, would be considered equivalent to NRIs, in effect.
Advocates K V Vishwanathan, P Chidambaram, and Mukund P Unni appeared for the petitioners.