SC notice to Centre, NMC on plea of girl with speech defect denied admission in medical course

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Centre and others to a plea filed by a girl who was denied admission in a medical course on account of a speech defect.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli issued notices to the Union of India, National Medical Commission and others and sought their replies within three weeks.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by a girl suffering from a speech defect who has challanged the amended Medical Council of India Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997.

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"As a consequence of the Regulations, though the petitioner suffers from a benchmark disability within the meaning of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, she has been excluded from pursuing her medical education on the ground that her speech defect is in excess of 40 per cent. Issue notice," the bench said.

The plea has challenged Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 as amended as a consequence of which the petitioner has been excluded from the exam.