In Brief
A medical aspirant with 58% quantified disability (locomotor and speech-related) who scored above the NEET-UG 2024 OBC-PwD cut-off was denied MBBS admission based on the "both hands intact" guideline without functional assessment. The High Court upheld the denial, treating medical board expertise as conclusive. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that quantified disability alone cannot disqualify a candidate; functional competence assessment with accommodations and assistive technology must be conducted instead. The "both hands intact" requirement was held antithetical to the Constitution, UN Convention on disability rights, and the RPwD Act. The Court confirmed the appellant's admission, directing assessment of whether NMC will revise guidelines accordingly by 3 March 2025.
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