NEET PwD Reservation must be based on Unique Disability ID card, Not Reassessment: Allahabad HC

In a significant ruling, the Allahabad High Court has held that reservation benefits in the NEET examination must be granted on the basis of the Unique Disability ID (UDID) issued by the competent authority, and not reassessed by medical boards under the National Medical Commission (NMC).

The case came up after a NEET 2025 aspirant with 70% permanent disability was denied the benefit of reservation.

Although the student held a valid UDID card confirming benchmark disability, a medical committee during counselling reassessed his disability at 31%, thereby disqualifying him from the Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) quota, which requires 40% and above. Challenging this reassessment, the petitioner argued that the UDID card, issued under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, must be treated as final. Justice Pankaj Bhatia agreed, clarifying that while NMC authorities may conduct functional assessments to determine if a candidate can pursue medical studies, they cannot reassess or override the disability percentage already certified in the UDID. Referring to earlier Supreme Court judgments, including Purswani Ashutosh, Om Rathod, and Vishal Gupta, the court ruled that the UDID card carries statutory validity and must prevail for claiming reservation.