Jul 12 2017 : The Times of India (Chennai)

 

HC: Keep MBBS seat vacant for girl with upper limb disability

Chennai: TIMES NEWS NETWORK





Entertaining a plea from a girl who suffered 55% upper limb disability in an electrical mishap, the Madras high court has asked authorities to keep one MBBS seat vacant for her. If, in the end, she wins the case, she could be admitted.

 

Justice K Ravichandrabaabu, granting the interim relief to A Mathumitha of Dharmapuri district, posted the case to July 25 for further hearing. The selection com mittee handling MBBSBDS admissions and the directorate of medical education should file their counter-affidavits by then.

Mathumitha, 18, who suffered the disability in 2010, wrote NEET examination this year and qualified.When she submitted her application under physically handicapped (PH) category on July 7, she was informed that people with upper limb disability were ineligible as per clauses (1)(k), VIII (40)(iii)(a) and (e) which summarily excluded such candidates.

Assailing these provisions, Mathumitha said nonclinical medical experts will handle research and development and laboratory-oriented jobs with the designations of doctors. She said candidates with upper limb disabilities did not deserve any blanket denial of admission and added non-clinical courses like microbiology , pathology , pharmacology and community medicines could be handled by them.