NEW DELHI: In a major change in disability inclusion in medical education, now persons with benchmark disabilities (PwBD) will be issued ‘eligibility certificate’ and not the existing ‘disability certificate’ for admission to the MBBS course.
The aim is to certify the candidate's eligibility to the undergraduate course based on functional assessment rather than merely certifying the existence or extent of disability.
The NMC, which notified the Guidelines on Assessment of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) for Admission to the MBBS Course, 2026, also said in its notification that the designated boards will now be known as Medical Assessment Boards, and their number has increased from 16 to 61 across the country.
The Commission, which regulates medical education in the country, said these guidelines seek to establish a transparent, uniform, evidence-based and competency-oriented framework for the assessment of PwBD seeking admission to the MBBS course throughout the country.
According to the notification, issued on July 27, the certificate presently issued by the designated medical boards for admission to the MBBS Course, though commonly referred to as a "Disability Certificate," shall be known as the "Eligibility Certificate," as it is “intended to certify the candidate's eligibility or otherwise for admission to the MBBS Course based on functional assessment rather than merely certifying the existence or extent of disability.”
It also states that disability shall never be treated as a disqualification unless it demonstrably prevents the acquisition of essential competencies despite the provision of reasonable accommodation.
For the first time, the guidelines introduce clinical accommodations, defined as reasonable modifications that enable medical students with benchmark disabilities to participate in clinical training and patient care without compromising on academic standards or patient safety.
The 30-page guidelines states that every medical college regulated by the NMC will now be required to establish an ‘Enabling Unit’ to serve as a single point of contact for students with benchmark disabilities, facilitating clinical accommodations, academic and clinical support, and a barrier-free learning environment.
Also, eligibility must now be documented along with the reasonable accommodations required.
A new provision has been introduced in the Eligibility Certificate requiring the Medical Assessment Boards to assess and record the need for clinical accommodations.
Moreover, any candidate aggrieved by the findings of a Medical Assessment Board may challenge the decision through an appellate mechanism at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Union Health Ministry.
However, Dr Satendra Singh, Professor of the Department of Physiology, University College of Medical Sciences, Guru Teg Bahadur (UCMS-GTB) Hospital and a noted disability rights champion, said several steps are still needed.
“Following the Supreme Court's orders in Om Rathod v. DGHS and Anmol v. NMC, the Court directed the NMC to include doctors with disabilities on every Medical Assessment Board; and establish Medical Assessment Boards in every State and Union Territory. These directions have not yet been fully complied with.”
“The Supreme Court has therefore sought an explanation from the NMC by way of an affidavit, which is to be filed by Thursday, with the next hearing scheduled for August 4,” said Dr Singh, who has been fighting for the rights of PwBD medical students.
He, however, pointed out that the self-certification disability affidavit is problematic. “This is a deliberate ploy by NMC to delay proceedings in the second successive year, thereby, not allowing time for 30-day stakeholder consultation on policy document,” he said.
He added that the NEET PG guidelines on disability are still under NMC consideration.
The notification said that the NMC recognizes that PwBD constitute an integral part of society and are entitled to equality, dignity, non-discrimination and reasonable accommodation in all spheres of life, including medical education, in accordance with the Constitution of India and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
"These guidelines introduce a competency-based and function-oriented assessment framework, whereby the determination of eligibility shall not rest solely upon the numerical percentage or category of disability reflected in the UDID Card or other disability certification."
According to the Commission, the revised framework aims to ensure that persons with benchmark disabilities receive equal opportunities in medical education while maintaining the standards of undergraduate medical training, professional competence, and patient safety.
“Disability shall not, by itself, constitute a ground for exclusion from medical education. Eligibility shall be determined through an objective assessment of the candidate's functional competencies, taking into consideration reasonable accommodation, assistive technology, environmental accessibility and contemporary advances in rehabilitation science,” the guideline said.
It also states that “no candidate shall be denied consideration or declared ineligible solely on the basis of diagnosis, disability category or generalized assumptions regarding disability.”
