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The Supreme Court of India has ruled that the National Medical Commission (NMC) regulation requiring students to have "both hands intact" for admission into the MBBS course is unfair and discriminatory.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan observed that the rule, which mandates that students must have both hands intact, with sensations, strength, and full range of motion, contradicts constitutional principles and international disability rights conventions.
Supreme Court Calls Out ‘Ableism’ in Medical Admissions
The bench strongly criticized the rule, stating:
"This prescription of 'both hands intact' is completely antithetical to Article 41 of the Constitution, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016."
"It glorifies ableism by assuming that only people with fully functional hands can become competent doctors."
The court ruled that such rigid classification is unconstitutional as it excludes deserving candidates solely based on physical ability rather than functional capability.
October 2023 Verdict & Revised NMC Guidelines
The Supreme Court referred to its October 2023 judgment, where it directed the NMC to revise its guidelines on medical admissions for students with disabilities.
The NMC had assured the court that it would form an expert committee to implement the ruling.
The court has now scheduled the next hearing for March 3, 2025, instructing the NMC to file an affidavit on the progress of the new guidelines.
Case of the Appellant: A PwD Student’s Struggle for Admission
The court highlighted the case of a PwD (OBC) category student, whose 58% disability made him eligible for admission under the PwD quota but was declared ineligible due to the "both hands intact" requirement.
The bench ruled:
"The 'both hands intact' prescription has no legal sanctity as it does not consider the functional abilities of the individual candidate."
"Protecting the rights of persons with disabilities requires assessing their functional capacity, not rejecting them based on a rigid physical standard."
As a result, the court had ordered the student’s admission into Government Medical College, Sirohi, Rajasthan, against a PwD-reserved seat on December 12, 2024.
What’s Next?
The Supreme Court’s strong stance signals a major shift toward inclusivity in medical education. The upcoming hearing on March 3, 2025, will determine whether the NMC has complied with the ruling and introduced revised, non-discriminatory admission guidelines.
This decision reinforces that disability should not be a barrier to pursuing a medical career, and every aspiring doctor should be judged on ability, not physical perfection.
