NEET PG Counselling: NMC frames branch-specific guidelines for MD, MS admissions of disabled candidates

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has, for the first time, prescribed ‘discipline-specific’ guidelines for assessing the suitability of persons with benchmark disability (PwBD) for post-graduate (PG) medical courses.

Under these guidelines, released on Thursday ahead of the National Eligibility-cum-Enterance Test (NEET PG 2026) results and counselling, PwBD aspirants for MD/MS will be judged according to the type of their chosen medical branch – surgical, other clinical, pre-clinical or para-clinical. This approach is a stark departure from the past, when all PwBD candidates – those with more than 40% disability – were assessed using blanket, percentage-based disability evaluation criteria, irrespective of their specialisation.

The new guidelines are part of an overhaul of how disability is perceived and examined for medical admissions around the country. After the Supreme Court (SC) last year heavily came down on NMC’s earlier disability related regulations for discriminating against and excluding PwBD aspirants, the commission is moving away from the rigid quantitative assessment method to an individualised evaluation of the students’ abilities.

While NMC had issued the new ‘interim’ assessment framework for both MBBS and MD/MS admissions last year, it has been firmed up for the 2026-27 admission cycle. In July, the commission had published detailed assessment guidelines for the ongoing undergraduate NEET counselling .

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NEET PG Counselling: PwBD assessment guidelines

While the revised PG guidelines largely mirror the UG norms, a notable addition is the specialisation-specific evaluation – an aspect missing from even the last year’s interim directives.

The document has categorised the PG specialisations as follows:

NEET PG: ‘Essential requirements’ for each MD, MS branch

The guidelines provide distinct “essential functional requirements” and suitability benchmarks for each of these sets.

For instance, the candidates with locomotor disability need to demonstrate fine motor skills, bimanual dexterity, prolonged standing ability and operation theatre mobility in order to qualify for surgical branches. Those with more than 40% upper limb disability are deemed “generally, not suitable” for these specialisations, while the candidates with benchmark lower limb disability “may be” adjudged suitable provided they possess “essential and demonstrable” functional capabilities.

In contrast, those seeking admission to pre-clinical branches only need to have teaching and laboratory demonstration skills, and are considered eligible for higher education despite more than 40% locomotor disability.

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The previous norms, outlined in Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023 , simply barred the candidates with above 80% locomotor disability for all branches, and required “case-to-case basis” determination for those in 40-80% disability range.

NMC: PwBD category, percentage not only basis for rejection

As in the MBBS guidelines, the new PG framework stresses that candidates shouldn’t be declared ineligible solely on the basis of the category or percentage of their disability or generalised assumptions and stereotypes associated with their condition. The guidelines seek to pursue equality and inclusion as well as preserve patient safety and academic standards.

It underscores the need for “condition-specific” individualised assessment of the candidates’ abilities. It also provides for “reasonable accommodation”, which involves determining if the assistive technology, adaptive devices or appropriate infrastructural support would help the candidates overcome the disability and pursue their course.

The medical assessment boards examining the candidates are required to reach one of the three verdicts – Eligible; Eligible with Reasonable Accommodation, or Ineligible.

In case of disqualification, the boards are supposed to provide written “speaking orders” containing objective findings, functional assessment and reasons for the conclusion. The boards’ decision can be challenged before an appellate authority under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

NMC has also urged medical colleges to conduct periodic sensitisation and capacity building programmes to promote an inclusive academic environment and eliminate physical, communication and attitudinal barriers. They have been asked to designate a nodal officer or an enabling unit to serve as a single point of contact to provide clinical accommodations to PwBD candidates.

Guidelines just before NEET PG results; ‘no consultation’

Disability activist and director-professor at University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS), New Delhi, Satendra Singh criticised the commission for releasing the guidelines barely days before NEET PG results and without first consulting the stakeholders.

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“We are aghast at the NMC’s repeated disregard for transparent, participatory rule-making. In 2025, the UG disability guidelines were released just a day before counselling. Now, the PG guidelines for doctors with disabilities have again been issued without any draft being placed in the public domain for stakeholder consultation,” he said.

Doctors with disabilities are not merely subjects of these guidelines – they are key stakeholders. They have every right to examine, question and contribute to rules that determine their professional futures,” he added.