Despite GMCH nod, Tanda college ‘refuses’ MBBS seat to disabled girl

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, November 27

As per the medical report of NEET-empanelled Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, Chandigarh, 18-year-old wheelchair-bound Nikita Choudhary has 78 per cent disability and is eligible to pursue MBBS. However, Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda, where she has been allotted the MBBS seat, has assessed her disability at 90 per cent, making her ineligible to pursue medical education.

As per the NEET rules, a person with over 80% disability is not eligible to pursue the MBBS course.

“The GMCH-32 is one of the 15 NEET empanelled hospitals in the country. Once I cleared my NEET exam earlier this year, I went to the GMCH-32 to get my disability verified as per the guidelines. In the medical done here, my disability was assessed to be 78 per cent,” said Nikita, who hails from Kangra.

“After being allotted a seat at the Tanda medical college, I visited the place and was told by the authorities that my medical will be done there. In the medical done there, my disability was assessed at 90 per cent,” Nikita added.

Incidentally, the Kangra Civil Hospital had assessed her disability at 75 per cent in 2016, when she got the medical done to avail the quotas/facilities available to the persons with disabilities.

Moreover, the Kangra Civil Hospital had termed her disease non-progressive. The GMCH-32, too, hasn’t called her disease progressive in its report. The Tanda medical college, however, has termed her disease progressive.

“The college has followed the guidelines laid down by the Atal Medical and Research University. The medical test done here was also as per the rules,” said Tanda college principal Prof Bhanu Awasthi.

“There’s a provision for medical tests at the colleges if the student avails the state quota for disability,” said Rajneesh Pathania, Director, Medical Education.

Nevertheless, the question of big discrepancy in the medical reports remains unanswered. “In my opinion, the report of the NEET-empanelled hospital should carry more weightage

than that of the college,” said Ajai Srivastava, expert member, HP Advisory Board on Disability.

“Also, her being wheelchair-bound should not go against her. As per the Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016, it’s the duty of the state to make all public places and buildings, including colleges, fully accessible to disabled people,” Srivastava added.

Medical reports at variance

• NEET-empanelled GMCH-32, Chandigarh, assessed 18-year-old wheelchair-bound Nikita Choudhary’s disability at 78%, making her eligible to pursue MBBS
• Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda, where she has been allotted the MBBS seat, has assessed her disability at 90%, making her ineligible to pursue the medical course
• As per the NEET guidelines, a person with over 80% disability is not eligible to pursue the MBBS course