Supreme Court Slams NMC Guidelines for MBBS: 'Ableism' Exposed

The Supreme Court criticized National Medical Commission guidelines requiring students with disabilities to have 'both hands intact' for MBBS eligibility. The court deemed this requirement 'antithetical' to constitutional rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, highlighting 'ableism' in the NMC's regulations.

The Supreme Court has strongly criticized the National Medical Commission (NMC) for its guidelines that require students with certain disabilities to have 'both hands intact' to qualify for MBBS. The court, comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan, declared these regulations as 'completely antithetical' to the constitutional rights enshrined in Article 41.

In a noteworthy judgment, the bench condemned these guidelines for propagating 'ableism,' arguing that such criteria glorify typical abilities over differently-abled individuals. The court highlighted that these guidelines contradict the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

The apex court has directed the NMC to revise their regulations in line with previous judgments and has scheduled a review for March 2025. Meanwhile, the court granted admission to a disabled aspirant whose application had been previously rejected due to the contested guidelines.