(This article was originally published on 20 December 2018 and has been republished from The Quint’s archives in the light of the NEET examination being conducted on 5 May 2019.)
Students with disabilities who are appearing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) scheduled in May 2019 are worried about the disability quota guidelines.
The Medical Council of India (MCI) had issued draft guidelines for the disability quota on 16 November. Candidates allege that there are multiple flaws and discrepancies in the draft.
The draft guidelines reportedly termed many disability categories as ‘ineligible’ even though Supreme Court judgments had allowed the students to avail the quota. For instance, the guidelines don’t allow candidates with more than 40 percent visual impairment to apply for the disability quota. However, in a landmark verdict in the Purswani Ashutosh (Minor) through Dr Kamlesh Virumal Purswani versus Union of India and Ors WP(C) 669/2018, the top court had allowed candidates with low-vision to be admitted in MBBS courses.
Similarly, the draft guidelines also say that students falling under the category of more than 80 percent disability due to chronic neurological conditions are not eligible. On the contrary, SC’s order in the Sachin versus the State of Haryana and Ors SLP (C) 25936/ 2018 case had already allowed students with the same parameters of disability to take admission in MBBS courses.
Secondly, the MCI Board of Governors, a panel of doctors who framed the draft guidelines, does not include a single member with disability, said Dr Satendra Singh, a member of Doctors with Disabilities and an Associate Professor at the University College of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
The Quint could not independently verify who are the members of the MCI Board.
The third issue candidates have raised is that the MCI is yet to issue the final guidelines on disability quota. Students say that they have submitted their NEET application forms on the basis of draft guidelines, but they are in the dark about what will comprise the final version.
The National Testing Agency has, however, notified that if the MCI draft guidelines change, students can make changes in their application forms in January.
Chairman of MCI Board of Governors VK Paul told The Quint, “We have sought public opinion. We will examine the views that we have got and act accordingly.”
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