NMC’s disability guidelines for NEET 2025 admission fall short, defy SC directives

Ayushi.Gupta1@timesofindia.com 28.07.2025

The National Medical Commission (NMC) recently released the disability guidelines for MBBS admissions for the academic year 2025-26. Disappointed that the guidelines do not adhere to the Supreme Court (SC) directives, disability rights activists wrote a letter to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), calling for the need to rectify the guidelines. 

However, the NMC says that the interim disability guidelines will be updated regularly in a phased manner based on the feedback collected from the students falling under the Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) category. Dr Vikrant Sirohi, activist, Doctors with Disabilities, Agents of Change organisation, stated in the letter to the DGHS, “In the case of Omkar Ramchandra Gond vs Union of India, the SC directed an increase in the number of medical boards across the country, mandating at least one medical board in each state and Union Territory for proper medical examinations. However, the list of medical boards notified for the 2025 counselling includes only 16 centres located in 11 states.” 

Furthermore, the SC directives also required that enabling units and equal opportunity cells, as mandated by the University Grants Commission (UGC), be included in MBBS admission booklets and college websites. Additionally, a database on accessibility and reasonable accommodations at medical colleges should be created. 

Speaking to Education Times, Dr BN Gangadhar, chairman, NMC, says, “To improve accessibility of medical boards for PwBD candidates, the NMC is working to increase the number of medical boards. These reforms are part of our commitment to service and welfare. The commission will seek feedback from PwBD students admitted to MBBS colleges to gather information and build a database on accessibility and reasonable accommodations. For now, the NMC has refrained from fully implementing this, as each disability is unique and requires special attention.” Dr Gangadhar says, “We have conducted awareness programmes for these medical boards, sensit ising them to the needs of PwBD candidates and their screening process. Furthermore, medical assessment officials are now required to submit a report specifying the candidate’s disability and the reasons for denial of admission.”