Cal HC aids 50% disabled student in sitting for NEET exams; SSKM Kolkata directed to reassess his functional ability

Kolkata: To help him sit in the NEET exams for fulfilling his dreams of pursuing a medical career, the Calcutta High Court directed the state to get the functional ability of a student with 50 per cent disability reassessed at the IPGME&R (SSKM Hospital) which initially had issued a faulty certificate.

The bench of Justice Jay Sengupta was moved by the student requesting reassessment of his disability and declaring the first certificate issued by SSKM on August 9 2024 a “nullity”. This will help him in his admission into the undergraduate medical course (NEET) being a person with disability (PWD).

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that as per the disability certificate issued to the petitioner, he suffers from partial disability of 50 per cent.

It is recorded there that he was orthopedically challenged with absence of certain toes and fingers.

Therefore, he is otherwise functionally capable of getting admitted to a medical/dental course.

Further, his hospital discharge certificate issued during birth mentioned that he was born with missing fingers both in hand and feet.

Therefore, there is no question of amputation of any finger or toe.

However, in the Certificate of Disability for NEET Admission issued by the SSKM Kolkata, his physical disability was recorded as pertaining to amputation and amounted to 40 per cent.

This was an error which needs correction, the counsel submitted.

Counsel for the National Medical Commission submitted that even with the kind of disability that the petitioner possesses, it is

doubtful that he would have the functional ability to get admitted in a medical course. The state counsel backed the same.

The court observed that before assessing whether he has the functional ability to get an admission in a medical/dental course, the first certificate of disability needs to be corrected.

State was directed to take appropriate steps to get the functional ability of the petitioner reassessed afresh by SSKM by doctors other than the ones who had issued the faulty certificate.

A new certificate needs to be issued for NEET admission. The entire exercise needs to be concluded within four weeks.