NMC to soon Release MBBS Admission Guidelines for PwD Students, ask Colleges to Set up Enabling Units

New Delhi: The proposed guidelines for admission of disabled candidates to the MBBS courses are being drafted by the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) and will be released shortly, the Secretary of the Commission, Dr. B Srinivas recently told Education Times.

He further informed that these guidelines will be released before the commencement of the counselling for the next academic session. Besides, the Commission also plans to issue directions to the medical colleges asking them to establish Enabling Units on the medical college campuses, he added.

Medical Dialogues has earlier reported that last year the Supreme Court in an order dated 25.10.2024 had stressed the importance of creating an inclusive atmosphere for persons with disabilities seeking to pursue medical education, noting it to be a "vital component of quality healthcare".

Highlighting that Disability Assessment Boards must comply with the rule of law principles by injecting transparency, fairness and consistency in their approach, the Apex Court bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra had directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to issue fresh guidelines for admitting persons with disabilities into medical courses.

Besides, the Delhi High Court had also previously directed the NMC to revise its guidelines in 6 months for admission of disabled students in light of RPDA 2016 and new scientific and technological advances. 

Also Read: Issue Fresh Guidelines for Admitting PwD Candidates to MBBS Course: SC Directs NMC

Despite these directions from the judiciary, the Commission has not yet released any guidelines for physically disabled medical aspirants. However, Dr. b Srinivas, Secretary, NMC has said that these guidelines are going to be released before the commencement of the next academic session.

He told Education Times "The Undergraduate Board of Medical Education (UGMEB) is finalising the draft of the guidelines and will release them shortly before counselling for the next academic session begins. The NMC also plans to sensitise and direct medical colleges to establish Enabling Units on their campuses."

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that recently a group of health professionals under "Doctors with Disabilities: Agent of Change", wrote to NMC and urged the Commission to comply with the Supreme Court's directives and implement the measures to support the PwD National Eligibility-Entrance Test (NEET) aspirants.

Referring to the possibility that the  National Testing Agency (NTA) might release the NEET UG brochure 2025-2026 soon, the doctors requested NMC to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court's directives by revising new guidelines for admission of students with disabilities by involving doctors disabilities for the year 2025-2026 and beyond.

They had also urged NMC to issue guidelines to all DABs to prepare an SOP on functional competency assessment using the human rights model of disability, issue guidelines to all DABs to prepare an SOP on functional competency assessment using human rights model of disability, conduct training of DAB members of all NMC-mandated NEET DAB by doctors with disabilities before the counselling begin for MBBS batch 2025-2026, also issue guidelines on clinical accommodations for students with disabilities, to create database of Enabling Units in all medical colleges and their coordinator being a faculty member with disability and to take action on medical colleges not having these, and create a database of accessibility, assistive devices and reasonable accommodations offered by every medical college and link it to NEET portal and NEET UG and PG brochure for 2025-2026 and beyond.

Also Read: Implement Measures to Support PwD NEET Candidates: Doctors Urge NMC