HC overturns SSKM rejection, permits MBBS admission for disabled student

Kolkata: Criticising SSKM Hospital for wrongly declaring a physically disabled aspirant unfit for MBBS admission, the Calcutta High Court provided relief to the candidate, allowing him to secure a seat under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) quota.

The judgment was made based on an AIIMS medical report, which stated that although the condition presents challenges, it does not prevent him from pursuing medical studies.

While considering the plea, the court doubted the credibility of SSKM Hospital’s medical assessment. The Bench comprising Justice Biswajit Basu remarked, "This is not the first time SSKM Hospital has denied clearance where other premier institutions like AIIMS or other hospitals in Delhi have approved. Why is there such a consistent difference? Is SSKM hospital above all others?"

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The court made the remark while referring to a similar case involving Majhi from Purulia, who uses a wheelchair and was also deemed unfit by SSKM but later cleared by a Delhi hospital.

The case concerns Mondal, who was affected by polio in childhood. Despite the condition, he completed his Higher Secondary education and cleared NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test), securing an All India Rank of 1,61,404 and a PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) category rank of 3,627, solely on his three and a half functional fingers in both hands.

However, his aspiration to study medicine suffered a setback when Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital, after conducting a physical assessment, declared him unfit for medical studies. The hospital’s report cited his inability to hold surgical instruments like scalpels and scissors, and on this basis, he was denied verification for admission, reports India Today.

Challenging the SSKM medical assessment report, the aspirant moved the High Court seeking relief. On this, Justice Babu directed AIIMS to conduct a second medical assessment.

After the evaluation, the AIIMS panel gave him the green signal as it concluded that while his condition posed challenges, it would not stop him from studying medicine.

Acting on this report, Justice Basu ordered authorities to allow Mondal’s verification and admission under the PwBD quota.

Speaking on this, Mondal’s lawyer, advocate Sarwar Jahan, said his client’s perseverance has finally been rewarded.

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