HC: Allot med seat to visually challenged boy
Srikkanth.D@timesgroup.com
Madurai:28.09.2018
Criticising officials at Government Medical College, Pudukottai, for citing pedantic reasons to avoid admitting a visually challenged student, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court has directed the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) to admit him in the college. If seats in the Pudukottai college are filled, authorities are to allot a seat in any other college within the state, the court said.
J Vibin of Tenkasi was allotted an MBBS seat at the college under differently-abled quota based on his All-India rank of 285. He attended medical counselling and got the allotment order on August 1.
When Vibin went to the college with the order, he was asked to produce a disability certificate. He submitted the one issued by the government which put his disability at 75 % but he was asked to produce a fresh certificate issued by Madras Medical College, which in turn issued a certificate stating that he had 90% visual disability. Authorities declared him unfit to join the course and subsequently Vibin’s father moved the court.
When the petition came up for final hearing, counsel for the teenager cited a recent decision of the apex court which ruled in favour of a student who secured 419th rank in the differently abled quota. The denial of admission citing 90% visual disability is contrary to provisions of the disabilities act, counsel said.
In response, government counsel said the teenager was not found fit by the disability assessment board. Justice V Parthiban said the authorities should have given a positive thrust in implementing the objectives of the disabilities act. The court stressed that his visual disability, even assuming it to be 90%, should not be held against him in granting admission.
The attitude of the authorities is a sad reflection of kafkaesque mindset, unmindful of the harm that may inflict on a person with disability, the judge said.
The court said his visual disability, even assuming it to be 90%, should not be held against him in granting admission
Srikkanth.D@timesgroup.com
Madurai:28.09.2018
Criticising officials at Government Medical College, Pudukottai, for citing pedantic reasons to avoid admitting a visually challenged student, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court has directed the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) to admit him in the college. If seats in the Pudukottai college are filled, authorities are to allot a seat in any other college within the state, the court said.
J Vibin of Tenkasi was allotted an MBBS seat at the college under differently-abled quota based on his All-India rank of 285. He attended medical counselling and got the allotment order on August 1.
When Vibin went to the college with the order, he was asked to produce a disability certificate. He submitted the one issued by the government which put his disability at 75 % but he was asked to produce a fresh certificate issued by Madras Medical College, which in turn issued a certificate stating that he had 90% visual disability. Authorities declared him unfit to join the course and subsequently Vibin’s father moved the court.
When the petition came up for final hearing, counsel for the teenager cited a recent decision of the apex court which ruled in favour of a student who secured 419th rank in the differently abled quota. The denial of admission citing 90% visual disability is contrary to provisions of the disabilities act, counsel said.
In response, government counsel said the teenager was not found fit by the disability assessment board. Justice V Parthiban said the authorities should have given a positive thrust in implementing the objectives of the disabilities act. The court stressed that his visual disability, even assuming it to be 90%, should not be held against him in granting admission.
The attitude of the authorities is a sad reflection of kafkaesque mindset, unmindful of the harm that may inflict on a person with disability, the judge said.
The court said his visual disability, even assuming it to be 90%, should not be held against him in granting admission
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