If you have completed your 10+2 exams with a focus on physics, chemistry, and mathematics, there is still a pathway to becoming a doctor. According to the latest guidelines from the National Medical Commission (NMC), you can pursue this goal by adding biology or biotechnology as an additional subject at the 10+2 level. This means clearing an examination in biology or biotechnology from any recognized board.

In essence, even if your initial academic emphasis wasn't on biology, you have the opportunity to fulfill the necessary requirements by incorporating this subject into your educational profile. The NMC guidelines offer flexibility for individuals who may not have originally chosen a traditional pre-medical track but aspire to pursue a medical career.

As per a recent public notice from the National Medical Commission (NMC), individuals who have included the necessary subjects—physics, chemistry, biology/biotechnology, and English—as additional subjects after completing Class XII are now eligible to participate in the NEET-UG test. NEET-UG is the entrance examination for admission to MBBS and BDS courses in India. This announcement means that candidates who may have added these essential subjects to their academic profile after their 12th-grade exams will still have the opportunity to take the NEET-UG test. 

These candidates will also qualify for an eligibility certificate, a formal document issued by the NMC. This certificate serves as legal proof, confirming that the candidate is eligible to pursue undergraduate medical courses abroad. Previously, to be eligible for MBBS or BDS, candidates had to engage in two consecutive years of regular study in physics, chemistry, biology/biotechnology, along with practicals, during Class XI and XII. This educational requirement necessitated attendance at a traditional school rather than through an open school or as a private candidate.

Under the previous regulations, it was obligatory to study biology/biotechnology or any required subject during Class XI and XII without the option of adding it later. However, the recent NMC directive has reversed this requirement, providing an opportunity for individuals aspiring to pursue a medical degree, even if biology/biotechnology wasn't a core subject during Classes XI-XII.

On June 14, the NMC engaged in discussions regarding the matter, leading to a decision to ease the criteria for participating in NEET-UG and obtaining an eligibility certificate for studying medicine abroad. This adjustment aligns with the flexibility permitted by the National Education Policy (NEP) in the study of different subjects during Class XII.