Mon Feb 24 14:45:51 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Orders Overhaul of MBBS Disability Eligibility Guidelines
**NEW DELHI, February 24, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India has directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to revise its eligibility criteria for MBBS admissions for students with disabilities. The court deemed the current guidelines, which require candidates to have “both hands intact, with intact sensation and sufficient strength,” arbitrary and unconstitutional.
The ruling stems from a case involving a candidate with locomotor and speech disabilities who, despite excelling in the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test), was deemed ineligible by an assessment board. The court’s decision builds upon a previous ruling in the *Om Rathod* case, which also mandated a revision of the guidelines before NEET 2025 counselling.
A recent paper in the *Indian Journal of Medical Ethics*, “Assessment for inclusion: Promoting equity and justice in Disability Assessment Boards in India,” highlights the significance of the judgment. The paper emphasizes the need for functional competency assessments, using methods like simulation labs and clinical accommodations, rather than solely focusing on physical limitations. The court’s recognition of lived experience as a form of expertise is also lauded as a watershed moment for inclusive medicine in India.
The court’s order mandates that medical schools inform prospective students with disabilities about the availability of Enabling Units (similar to disability resource providers in the USA) offering clinical accommodations. This information must be included in the NEET application portal, college websites, and information booklets.
The paper further argues for the importance of healthcare providers with disabilities, emphasizing the increased comfort and trust patients may feel when interacting with a doctor who shares their lived experience. The NMC has been given until March 3rd to report back on the revision of the guidelines.
First Piper 