Medical Council of India changes postgraduate admission rules only for students with locomotor disabilities

Some relief for Dr Mohammed Shaloo after the Medical Council of India (MCI) issued a fresh notification on Friday saying that students with locomotor disability of above 80% are eligible to be admitted into post graduate degress like MD and MS.

Dr Shaloo, a practicing doctor for over two years with a 90% disability, had dragged the MCI to court over its previous guidelines that barred MBBS doctors with a disability of over 80% from doing further specialization

In response the MCI has come out with a new guideline, this one however provides relief only to students with locomotor disabilities and that too above 80%.

Dr Shaloo, who has post residual polio paralysis told NewzHook he is relieved and happy. “This is certainly good news for me, and I am going to get myself tested again at one of the listed government facilities on Monday. Hopefully, now I can pursue my dreams of specialization.

However, those hopeful for any sign of a larger change in mindset towards the better are bound to be disappointed because the MCI’s latest guideline says, “PwD candidates who were earlier found ineligible, because their Locomotor Disability was greater than 90%, should get themselves reassessed..and obtain a fresh disability certificate.

The relief, as Dr Satendra Singh points out is superficial and nowhere close to meeting the demands he has raised in a separate petition challenging the MCI guidelines for PG and undergraduate medical admissions.

The relief is superficial as it is only for people with locomotor disability, that too above 80%. They have come up with a new number now — 90%. The other points that I raised in my petition before the court have not been addressed. It also states that candidate with 80% disability have to report again for a test. despite all the drama the so called “experts board at Safdarjung Hospital could not arrive at the correct percentage What is above 80%??? – Dr Satendra Singh, Disability rights activist

This means candidates like Dr Anjani Bala, whose story NewzHook highlighted earlier this week may have to travel to another city to be tested yet again. Dr Bala, like Dr Shaloo, has a locomotor disability. She has finished her MBBS and cleared the post graduate entrance exam but was declared ineligible. “Safdarjung Hospital gave Dr Bala a more than 80% disability certificate, so it is not clear whether or not she has to come for a test again, says Dr Singh.

Dr Bala, who is based in Ranchi, and has a two-week old baby is unsure if she will be able to travel to New Delhi or Kolkata where the testing centres are located. “I am happy but still trying to figure out what to do. I have spent a lot of money flying to Delhi for the first test and to go through the whole thing again is very hard.

Looks like this time too, the MCI’s approach is to open one door and close four others for disabled medical aspirants.

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