This is in line with prime minister Narendra Modi’s Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas vision, says health ministry J P Nadda
People with disabilities will now be entitled to more reserved seats for admission to postgraduate medical courses.
Health ministry has approved an amendment to the regulations that would increase the quota for people living with disabilities. The figure will now go up from 3% to 5% in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
Commenting on this decision, health minister J P Nadda said that after a gap of 20 years the government has taken a historical decision for the welfare of divyang sisters and brothers in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikaas’, ensuring that they are equal contributors to the progress of the nation.
Included in disability definition are Blindness, Low-vision, Leprosy Cured persons, Hearing Impairment (deaf and hard of hearing), Locomotor Disability, Dwarfism, Intellectual Disability, Mental Illness, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy etc
“Now, all 21 benchmark disabilities as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 can register for admission to medical courses”, Nadda added.
According to the amended provision, 21 kinds of Disabilities (as per Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016) that includes Blindness, Low-vision, Leprosy Cured persons, Hearing Impairment (deaf and hard of hearing), Locomotor Disability, Dwarfism, Intellectual Disability, Mental Illness, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Chronic Neurological conditions, Specific Learning Disabilities, Multiple Sclerosis, Speech and Language disability, Thalassemia, Hemophilia, Sickle Cell disease, Multiple Disabilities (including deafblindness), Acid Attack victim, Parkinson’s disease, will now be considered under the reservation provided for persons with disabilities.
Accordingly, the software used by DGHS for central counseling has also been amended to allow registration of all such candidates. Registration/allotment of seats would be followed by a medical examination to ascertain the level of Disability before finally granting admission to candidates selected under the reserved quota.
