NEET PG Counselling 2022: Tamil Nadu drops clause asking disabled applicants for 'deformity' photos

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu government has withdrawn a “discriminatory clause” asking medical students with disabilities to affix photos showing their "deformity". This came two days after Dr Satendra Singh, a disability rights activist, lodged a complaint with the state commissionerate for welfare of the differently abled, on Wednesday

In the 2022-23 prospectus, Tamil Nadu’s directorate of medical education (DME) had asked every disabled candidate to affix a photo showing their deformity for admission to postgraduate degree and diploma courses in government medical colleges and government seats in self-financing medical colleges in the state. Now, DME has deleted this clause.

Singh, who teaches at Delhi University’s University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS), said that the clause was against medical ethics.

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“Since the last 10 years, I have been complaining and receiving corrigendums. It is inappropriate for the medical profession to require its own doctor candidates who are looking for PG positions to submit a photo ID as verification of their impairment. It goes against medical ethics, breaches candidates' autonomy and dignity, and demonstrates that policy-making professionals lack empathy. This is likewise illegal and punishable under disabilities act,” Singh told Careers360.

When asked about descrimination against PwD candidates in medical colleges at a time when medical education regulator National Medical Commission (NMC) is pushing for LGBTQIA+ friendly curriculum, he said, “It was my judicial advocacy which led to the incorporation of disability rights as disability competencies in the new Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) launched by NMC in 2019. Sadly the old guard remains insensitive and needs better training in medical ethics”.

Dr. R Muthuselvan, secretary, selection committee of DME in a notification said, “The serial number 4 in the special category form for the person with disabilities in the prospectus of the post graduate degree / diploma and MDS Courses in government medical/dental colleges, government quota in self-financing medical/dental colleges for 2022-23 session is deleted.”

The candidates seeking admission under the special category, DME said “can submit their recent passport size photograph (taken within three months) showing the face only of the person with disability in the enclosed format of the special category.”

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In the prospectus for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG) counselling 2022 , DME had stated, “The candidates seeking admission under this special category should produce a full size recent photograph (taken within three months) exhibiting the deformity.”

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has announced the counselling dates for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG) and Master of Dental Surgery (NEET MDS) at mcc.nic.in. As per the official schedule, the round one registrations for the NEET PG and MDS 2022 counselling will begin from September 1. Tamil Nadu government is offering postgraduate medical education through its 16 medical colleges/hospitals and the Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R medical university/specialized institutes.

Singh, has 70% locomotor disability. In his complaint dated August 24 to Tamil Nadu commissionerate for welfare of the differently abled, he said, “The mandatory option of providing ‘photo showing disability’ is discriminatory, humiliating and against the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities Act (RPDA), 2016. Rule 17 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rule 2017 clearly highlights that for disability certificates only passport photo showing face is required.”

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In his complaint, Singh had requested the Court to “penalise the respondents, ask them to immediately issue a corrigendum removing the clause.”