Open Boards are Becoming a New Option for Success in JEE & NEET-UG

By ALLEN Career Institute Pvt. Ltd. Kota Coaching NIOS NIOS 2026 April 2, 2026

Eight NIOS Graduates Chose MBBS and Two BDS Seats

The National Institute of Open Schooling is now emerging as a new option for students aspiring to pursue careers in medical and engineering.

A significant example of this is the selection of Open Board students for 85% of state quota seats in Gujarat’s medical colleges.

In NEET-UG 2025, the country’s largest medical entrance exam, 10 students from Gujarat have secured admission to colleges after studying through the Open Board.

Of these, eight students secured MBBS seats and two secured BDS seats. This clearly demonstrates that Open Boards are emerging as a promising option for students preparing for competitive exams.

Why the Growing Trend

Regular schooling is a challenge for students preparing for competitive exams. This has led students to consider this option, as they seek coaching for their preparation.

Finding time for self-study becomes challenging when attending school and coaching simultaneously.

Therefore, students are now seeking options that don’t require regular schooling, allowing them to pursue a career while simultaneously preparing for board exams with coaching.

NTA Makes These Changes for NEET-2026

It is noteworthy that changes have been made to student eligibility for NEET-UG 2026. In line with the recommendations of the National Medical Council, the amendments now mandate subject matter over exam board eligibility.

Now, if a student has passed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology from any registered board, they are eligible to appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG exam and pursue MBBS based on their score. The National Testing Agency clarified this this year in the Information Bulletin issued for the conduct of the NEET exam.

This clarification has made the path easier for students aspiring to crack the NEET by taking the NIOS and other open board Class 12 exams.

NIOS expert Amit Gupta stated that the long-standing confusion regarding NEET UG eligibility has now been completely resolved. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has revised the eligibility language in the Information Bulletin 2026, bringing it directly in line with the National Medical Council’s (NMC) Graduate Medical Education Regulations (GMER) 2023.

Previously, the NEET UG 2025 information bulletin stated that eligibility was subject to pending petitions in the Supreme Court. This created confusion among students and parents regarding eligibility.

Gupta explained that, according to the GMER 2023 issued by the NMC, to be eligible for NEET UG, students must have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Biology along with English in Class 12.

The relevant board must also be recognized. The most significant change is that eligibility will no longer depend on the medium of instruction.

This means that all students studying in regular schools, open schools, and NIOS will be eligible if they meet the subject and other necessary eligibility criteria of the board.

Eligibility was linked to the court’s decision in 2025

Gupta explained that in 2025, eligibility was linked to the decision of the Special Leave Petition (SLP) pending in the Supreme Court.

This raised concerns that eligibility rules might change in the future. This requirement has been completely removed in NEET 2026.

The eligibility rules are now stable and clear, and will be directly applicable in accordance with the NMC’s GMER 2023 rules. This amendment has eliminated years of ambiguity regarding eligibility rules.

This has brought the greatest relief to students who completed their 12th grade from NIOS or open schools. They can now apply for NEET UG 2026 on an equal basis with other students.-