NEET counselling continues to be a hassle for PwD medical students. Disability activist explains

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) counselling 2024 is here for undergraduates (UG) and around the corner for postgraduate (PG) candidates, but the issues of candidates from Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category is yet to be resolved. 

Dr Satendra Singh, MD, Founder of Doctors with Disabilities: Agents of Change, is not holding back his words, calling this matter a continuous harassment towards the candidates.

What is the PwD category?

Persons with Disabilities (PwD) is the special category for helping the disabled avail quality education and training in the medical field.

Like everyone else, these aspirants need to pass the NEET exam and will need to appear for counselling, but one pre-requisite that applies to them alone is the submission of the Disability Certificate.

Speaking to EdexLive, Dr Satendra Singh, who is also a Professor of Physiology at the University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, pointed out, “Hospitals in Delhi designated to assess and certify disabilities are stepping back citing lack of audiologists.” 

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (DGHS-MOHFW) notice dated July 30, 2024, only three hospitals in Delhi can issue Disability Certificates as per National Medical Commission (NMC) norms to PwD candidates in support of their claim to avail 5% PwD reservation in UG/broad speciality and PG courses: 

- Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital (VMMC & SJH)

- Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences & Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (ABVIMS & RMLH) 

- Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated Hospitals (LHMC) 

“No concrete details have been disclosed as to when the candidates should visit the hospitals to receive the certificates, what is the process for it, nor details of the concerned officials has been disclosed,” Dr Singh added, pointing out the flaws in the system of issuing certificates. 

Dr Singh, who is also Co-chair of the International Council for Disability Inclusion in Medical Education recalled how a patient who travelled from Dehradun to Safdarjung Hospital for a certificate for deafness was denied one.

“The candidates under the PwD category should be aware of when they need to collect their certificate, and how they can go about the process. They shouldn’t be made to run from pillar to post. This has to be streamlined and the process should be made more PwD-friendly,” Singh remarked. He alleged that there is confusion among the candidates as the DGHS notice and the hospital’s notice are not the same.  

“Medicos are in a flux as the hospital committee says one thing and the DGHS notice contradictions it,” he reported, adding that Safdarjung is supposed to issue certificates as per the DGHS notice, but this is not happening. 

Further, Singh emphasised that a lack of facilities or work overload should be reported to DGHS and candidates of NEET shouldn’t be affected by it. “Clarity and transparency in every detail about certificates should be uploaded to the hospitals’ portals,” he proposed. 

Limited centres

Additionally, another important point was about the limited number of PwD centres in the state. Notably, there are only 16 centres according to the DGHS notice. Dr Satendra Singh alleges, “Despite DGHS directing the states to specially set up Disability Certificate Centres in each state and union territory, no progress has been made on this front”

In response to a petition filed by Dr Singh to the Commissioner for PwD on March 22, 2022, the DGHS responded saying, “In this regard, you are requested to identify Medical Colleges in your State UT preferably one in each capital city of State which can be designated as Disability Certification Centre so that Differently abled NEET aspirants are not put to any difficulty in obtaining Disability Certificates for the purpose of admission in medical courses. It is also requested that such centres should be fully capable to issue Disability Certificates as per NMC/MCI norms.”

With counselling almost here, the long pending issues of the PwD candidates seem to be going unnoticed again, feared Dr Singh.