Recently, in a matter of Mekala Hima Anvitha v. Union of India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Andhra Pradesh High Court Rejected a Petition Challenging the Constitutional validity of the fixation of a minimum age of 17 years for appearing in National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

In its petition, the Petitioner submitted that the minimum age of 17 years for the NEET exam is violative of Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution of India. Therefore, the said Regulation should be struck down.

The Andhra High Court rejected the petition on the ground that the issue has already been considered over a number of times and in the case of Master Alli Sai Deepak v. The Government of Andhra Pradesh Rep., by its Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department and others (2013(4) ALT 643). Thereafter, in the case of Kandula Yamini Saraswathi v. Union of India Rep., by its Secretary, Government of India, Medical and Health Department, New Delhi and others((2017) 2 ALT 101)

“In Master Alli Sai Deepak case, it was clearly held by a Division Bench that, the fixation of the minimum age of 17 years as eligibility criteria to participate in the subject examination does not offend the equality clause of Article 14 of the Constitution of India. The said judgment has been followed by another Division Bench subsequently in the matter of Kandula Yamini Saraswathi case”.