Madras High Court today directed the Selection Committee and the Directorate of Medical Education to keep one seat vacant in the MBBS course for 2017-18 for a disabled candidate.
Justice K Ravichandra Baabu gave the direction on a petition by A Mathumitha who is suffering from 55 per cent upper limb disability.
After ordering issuance of notice to Special Government Pleader A Kumar, the court directed to keep one seat vacant till July 25 and directed to file counter affidavit by then.
Mathumitha submitted that she had written the NEET exam and the result was likely to be announced onJuly 14.
The counseling is to start onJuly 17and the courses will commence fromAugust 1.
She challenged the clauses (1)(k),VIII (40)(iii)(a) and (e) which summarily excluded candidates with upper limb disability for admission.
In her petition she submitted that the MBBS course, being a common degree upon which several specialised PG courses namely clinical and non-clinical can be done.
The candidates who have completed clinical courses (medicine and surgery categories) alone can practice and treat the patients.
The non-clinical medical experts will be dealing with research and development and laboratory oriented jobs with the designations of doctors.
In such circumstances, those candidates with upper limb disabilities do not deserve any blanket denial of admission, she said.
There are non-clinical courses like microbiology, pathology, pharmacology and community medicines, petitioner pointed out.
"Therefore, the blanket ban on admission to MBBS course for candidates with upper limb disability is irrational, arbitrary and discriminatory and voilative Article 14 of the Constitution, petitioner contended.
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