Mumbai: The State government informed the Bombay High Court on Wednesday that it will withhold the publication of the first list of physically handicapped candidates for post graduation medical courses. It also said it will consult with the Central government for setting up a special medical board for assessing disabilities of students wishing to pursue medical courses under the quota for the disabled. It also submitted a copy of its communication to the Union Directorate General of Health Services.
A Division Bench comprising Justices Ranjit More and Sadhana Jadhav was hearing a petition filed by Dr. Faisal Ahmed Juned Pokar, 24, who suffers from dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia. He holds a certificate issued by the Paediatric Neurodevelopment Centre at Sion Hospital. His advocate Pooja Thorat informed the court that on March 23, 2018, the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) published a notification on its website stating that candidates under the disability quota are required to appear for assessment of their disability at any of the four recognised Disability Examination Centers mentioned in the notification.
Dr. Pokar approached the All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AIIPHR), Haji Ali, where he was told that it is authorised to assess only locomotor disabilities, and cannot issue a certificate for intellectual disability. He is expecting to pursue a post graduate course under the quota at B.J. Medical College.
The petitioner sought that the court direct DMER to consider him for admission on the basis of the medical certificate issued to him by J.J Hospital. He also wanted a direction to authorities to be allowed to choose a medical college in accordance with his merit in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test 2018. The petition sought that the DMER notification stipulating a medical certificate from AIIPMR for intellectual disability be quashed and set aside.
The HC asked the government to update it on progress in this regard within a week, and adjourned the hearing. — With PTI inputs
