Mental illness not bar in pursuing MBBS course: NMC tells SC
The NMC, which regulates medical education in the country, was asked by the top court on May 18 to set up a panel of domain experts to examine a plea for evolving modes of disability assessment of students having mental illnesses, special learning disorder and autism spectrum disorder for granting quota in admission to MBBS course.
The National Medical Commission (NMC) informed the top court of India that diagnosis of mental illness can no longer be a bar for pursuing MBBS course and such aspirants may be considered for quota benefits in future after "Better methods of disability assessment" are devised.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of lawyer Gaurav Kumar Bansal, appearing for a MBBS aspirant, that several countries are not only permitting persons having mental illnesses to pursue medical education but also granting reservation in admissions.
"On thorough consideration of the recommendations received from the expert members in ... meetings, the Under Graduate Medical Education Board reaches to a conclusion that in respect of mental illness,'the diagnosis of Mental Illness can no longer be a bar for eligibility to pursue medical education (MBBS) provided the candidate falls in the merit list in competitive entrance examination i.e. NEET-UG", said NMC in its report, as reported by Deccan Herald.
"Since the benefits of reservation/quota are not determinable under the present available methods of assessment hence the quoted italic statement in the earlier disability notification dated May 13, 2019-- However the benefit of reservation quota may be considered in future after developing better methods of diability assessment"- shall remain valid," NMC said.
NMC added that candidates claiming to have been suffering from mental illness are being considered under Non-PwD (outside the disabilities law) category for the purpose of taking admission in MBBS course.
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