CHENNAI: Justice S Vaidyanathan of the Madras High Court has bemoaned his inability to go to the help of a visually handicapped student, who prayed for a direction to the authorities concerned to admit him under the handicapped quota in the first year MBBS course for 2018-19.
J S Vignesh Balaji moved the HC for a direction to the Selection Committee for MBBS/BDS course to admit him under the physically handicapped quota. But he did not fulfill the eligibility criteria. “It is paining to note that God is too severe to the candidates like that of the petitioner, for the reason that in spite of being meritorious, he is not eligible to pursue medical education, as, he has not satisfied the conditions stipulated in the prospectus and the guidelines framed by the Medical Council of India. Hence, this Court is left with no other option, but to turn a blind eye to candidates like that of the petitioner, in view of the guidelines/policy decisions of the government, which cannot be said to be illegal,” the judge said.
The petitioner had obtained 1,061 marks in the Higher Secondary Examination in March 2018. Later, he appeared in the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) on May 6 last and scored 117. He submitted that he can read and write, but his vision is blurred and that he has obtained necessary certificate of disability from the District Medical Officer on May 29 last and also from the District Medical Board consisting of 3 members from the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College, Salem on June 6 last. He applied for admission to MBBS/BDS course for 2018-2019 enclosing the two certificates of disability. However, he had not been called for counselling on July 1.
“In the case on hand, the petitioner’s visual impairment, is 75 per cent. But, as per the prospectus pertaining to the Recommendation of Expert on Visual Impairment under the head ‘Operational Recommendations’, a person with visual disability of 40% or more (category III or greater) shall not be eligible to pursue medical education. Undoubtedly, the petitioner is a bright student. Hence, this court is left with no other option, but to turn a blind eye to candidates like that of the petitioner,” the judge said.