Consider disabled girl for MBBS: Himachal HC to Tanda college

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, December 12

Finally, wheelchair-bound Nikita Choudhary can pursue her dream of becoming a doctor.

The High Court on Monday directed Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College and Hospital, Tanda, to consider her for admission to the MBBS course after the medical board at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, assessed her disability to be 78 per cent.

Was denied admission

• The High Court order comes after a medical board at the PGI, Chandigarh, assessed her disability to be 78 per cent
• The Tanda college had denied her admission to MBBS after its medical board assessed her disability to be 90 per cent, following which she moved the High Court
• As per the NEET rules, a person with over 80 per cent disability is not eligible for MBBS.

The Tanda college had denied her admission after its medical board assessed her disability to be 90 per cent, following which she had moved the High Court. As per the NEET rules, a person with over 80 per cent disability is not eligible to pursue the MBBS course.

“I am extremely happy and looking forward to fulfilling my dream of becoming a doctor,” the 18-year-old girl belonging to Sarotri village in Kangra said. Despite being on the wheelchair for many years now, the spirited girl had never thought that her disability could stop her from becoming a doctor.

“The first thing I did when I thought of becoming a doctor was to search Google if there were any wheelchair users in the medical profession. I found quite a few and that firmed up my desire to become a doctor,” said Nikita.

She did not let her disability and her humble background come in the way and cleared NEET in her first attempt. She was allotted a seat at Tanda medical college under the state quota for persons with disability.

She was granted a medical certificate by the NEET-empanelled GMCH-32, Chandigarh, which put her disability at 78 per cent.

She was, however, in for a shock when the Tanda college did her medical again as per its norms and assessed her disability at 90 per cent, leaving her ineligible for admission to the MBBS course.

Not ready to let go her dream, she moved the High Court. The court ordered a fresh medical at the PGI, which assessed her disability at 78 per cent, the same as assessed by the GMCH-32, making her eligible for admission.

“I am no longer thinking about it now. I am just focusing on starting my education in medicine as soon as possible and becoming a good doctor,” said Nikita.