NEET Application Process Closes Soon, No Clarity Yet on Disability Quota

With the online application process for the NEET UG 2019 is closing in four days, aspirants with disabilities still remain in confusion. The Medical Council of India-MCI is yet to release the revised guidelines for admission to MBBS courses under the disability quota The National Testing Agency’s online registration form still lacks clarity regarding which kind of disability is eligible for reservation as per the New Act.

According to sources, MCI has recommended a minimum of 40% hearing and visual impairment for reservation in medical courses. However, the reservation will be applicable to specific disabilities. On the other hand, applicants with hearing and visual impairment of less than 40% may be eligible for admission in medical courses but not for reservation. The final decision is yet to be taken.

According to the MCI guidelines draft for NEET 2019, many disability categories that were allowed by various courts are listed as ineligible for reservation this year. As a result, candidates are unsure under which category they should register.

Medical Council of India made its draft public on 16th November 2018 and invited comments regarding the same from the public. The last date for submitting the comments on the issue is 30th November 2018, which is also the last date for the NEET 2019 registration.

Affected candidates and disability rights activists are seeking an extension of the NEET 2019 registration and are demanding an early declaration of the guidelines. The NEET 2019 exam will take place on 5th May 2019.

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Dr. Satendra Singh, Member of Doctors with Disabilities & Associate Professor at the University College of Medical Sciences in Delhi informed that the association informed the MCI Board of Governors on 1st November 2018 itself that they had not updated the MCI guidelines for disabled candidates. If the applications of eligible candidates for NEET 2019 under the disability quota are being rejected, they will miss a chance to sit or appear for the entrance test and their entire academic year will be wasted. In case, they apply through the general quota, then they then lose out the entitlement provided to them by the RPDA 2016 (RPDA).

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He further informed that neither MCI nor its Board of Governors responded to them and the students are still in dark about their status.