SC orders admission of disabled NEET candidate, slams medical boards’ narrow view

AIIMS assessment finds 68% disabled candidate capable of performing clinical tasks; court warns against mechanical application of disability rules.

New Delhi, May 5, 2025

The Supreme Court has directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to admit Kabir Paharia, a NEET-qualified student with a disability, to an MBBS course for the 2024-25 academic year, ruling that disability rules should not be applied in a rigid or mechanical manner.

Paharia, who has Levo Scoliosis, was initially certified as eligible by AIIMS Mangalagiri but was later denied admission by the Disability Screening Committee at VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, which followed the NMC’s guidelines. These guidelines excluded him based on his disability percentage assessment.

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The Court, however, found that the application of these rigid guidelines led to an arbitrary decision. “It would be unjust to deny a candidate admission to MBBS based on a fixed interpretation of disability norms,” said Justice P.S. Narasimha, who delivered the judgment. The Court also noted that Paharia had cleared the NEET-UG 2023 with an All India Rank of 707 in the PwBD-SC category, demonstrating his competence to pursue medical education.

The bench emphasized that the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, was enacted to support and empower persons with disabilities, not to impose further restrictions. “Each case should be evaluated on its individual merit, with empathy, fairness, and clarity in mind,” the Court remarked.

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As a result of the ruling, Paharia will be granted admission to a medical college over and above the sanctioned strength for the 2024-25 academic session. The Court, however, clarified that this relief is a one-time and personal remedy for Paharia and will not serve as a precedent for other cases.