NMC Introduces New PwBD Guidelines For MBBS Admissions, Directs Colleges To Establish Enabling Units | Education and Career News
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The new PwBD guidelines will serve as the framework for assessing candidates with benchmark disabilities during the MBBS admission process.
As per NMC, the Enabling Unit will act as a dedicated point of contact for students with benchmark disabilities. (Representative image/File)
The National Medical Commission (NMC) has released revised guidelines for the assessment of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) seeking admission to MBBS programmes. The commission has also instructed all medical colleges across the country to set up dedicated “Enabling Units” to provide support and ensure an inclusive learning environment for students with disabilities.
Issued on July 27, both measures are aimed at promoting disability inclusion in medical education in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, as well as recent directives issued by the Supreme Court.
The first notification outlines the Guidelines on Assessment of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) for Admission to the MBBS Course, 2026. These guidelines will serve as the framework for assessing candidates with benchmark disabilities during the MBBS admission process.
Issued under the authority of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, along with the Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, the guidelines have come into immediate effect.
In addition to the admission-related guidelines, the NMC has issued a separate circular mandating all medical colleges under its jurisdiction to establish an Enabling Unit for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD).
As per the notice, a candidate seeking admission to the MBBS Course under the PwBD category must have a benchmark disability of at least 40% in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and applicable rules. The candidate must possess a valid Permanent UDID Card.
The Medical Assessment Board may require additional clinical examination, functional evaluation, or verification wherever necessary to assess functional competency or reasonable accommodation requirements.
A candidate shall not be denied consideration under the PwBD category solely due to a rectifiable procedural defect or discrepancy in the UDID Card, provided the disability is otherwise established in accordance with law.
Furthermore, the Enabling Unit will act as a dedicated point of contact for students with benchmark disabilities. Its responsibilities will include ensuring reasonable accommodations, facilitating academic and clinical assistance, enhancing campus accessibility, addressing disability-related concerns, sharing information about available support services, and coordinating with Disability Assessment Boards and institutional authorities to ensure timely implementation of required accommodations.
The NMC stated that the initiative has been introduced in compliance with Sections 16 and 17 of the RPwD Act, 2016, which mandate educational institutions to provide inclusive education, reasonable accommodations, and accessible learning environments for students with disabilities.
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