NMC asks medical colleges to set up support units for students NEW DELHI: Students with benchmark disabilities seeking admission to MBBS courses will now undergo an individual assessment of their functional abilities to determine whether they can acquire essential competencies required for the course with reasonable accommodation. National Medical Commission (NMC) Monday issued new guidelines requiring medical boards to evaluate each candidate’s functional ability rather than relying solely on the type or extent of disability.Under the new framework, NMC-regulated medical college will now also have to set up an “enabling unit” for students with benchmark disabilities, providing a single point of contact for reasonable accommodation, academic and clinical support, and a barrier-free learning environment.Designated medical assessment boards will carry out an individual assessment of every candidate. The guidelines state that applicants cannot be declared ineligible solely on the basis of their diagnosis or the percentage of benchmark disability. Instead, boards must assess a candidate’s functional abilities, the essential competencies required under competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum, and whether reasonable accommodation can enable them to complete the course.”After Supreme Court’s constant follow-up and directions, NMC has amended its interim guidelines and issued revised guidelines for MBBS admissions of students with disabilities. The biggest change is the shift from assessing eligibility on the basis of the percentage of disability to evaluating functional competency. Clinical accommodations are reasonable modifications that enable medical students with benchmark disability to participate in clinical training and patient care without compromising academic standards or patient safety,” said Prof Satendra Singh, coordinator at UCMS and GTB Hospital’s enabling unit.The guidelines also require medical boards to consider assistive devices, adaptive technology, communication support and other reasonable accommodations before arriving at a decision.While emphasising inclusion, NMC has said patient safety will remain an important consideration.On enabling units, NMC directed these should be set up in compliance with Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and recent Supreme Court directions aimed at ensuring inclusive medical education.The unit will also receive and address requests for disability-specific accommodations during the course of study, including clinical training and internship, according to the circular.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’Most Filthy Type Of Man’: Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Attack Pralhad Joshi; Massive Ruckus In ParlWhy Delhi-NCR Flooded Again As Four Weather Systems Combined With Years Of Planning Failures’Students Want Justice, Not Charity’: Priyanka Gandhi’s Explosive Speech On Paper Leaks Rocks LSMizoram Minister Opens Up On Drug Menace, Myanmar Border, Disaster Readiness & Ties With Centre”You Removed One Pradhan To Save The PM”: Paper Leak Bill Triggers Massive Showdown In ParliamentPolice Diary Reportedly Reveals RAF Fired Anti-Riot Guns During Jantar Mantar Protest | WatchOnce A Fierce BJP Critic, Ex-TMC MP Saayoni Ghosh To Defend Centre’s Anti-paper Leak Bill | WatchModi Govt Tables Anti-Paper Leak Bill In Lok Sabha: Up To 10 Years Jail, ₹10 Cr Fine & MoreSupreme Court Backs Independent Probe Into Alleged Police Excesses During NEET Protests NationwidePM Modi’s Facebook Post Blocked: Is India’s Digital Sovereignty At Stake?123Photostories”I am a big fan of…”: Kareena Kapoor considers this vegetable a ‘superpower’ and gut-friendly; 7 ways to add it to your daily dietWhy you can’t stop checking your phone: Expert warns this anxiety habit may be fueling a harmful reassurance-seeking cycleAlways feeling mentally exhausted? 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NEW DELHI: Students with benchmark disabilities seeking admission to MBBS courses will now undergo an individual assessment of their functional abilities to determine whether they can acquire essential competencies required for the course with reasonable accommodation. National Medical Commission (NMC) Monday issued new guidelines requiring medical boards to evaluate each candidate’s functional ability rather than relying solely on the type or extent of disability.Under the new framework, NMC-regulated medical college will now also have to set up an “enabling unit” for students with benchmark disabilities, providing a single point of contact for reasonable accommodation, academic and clinical support, and a barrier-free learning environment.Designated medical assessment boards will carry out an individual assessment of every candidate. The guidelines state that applicants cannot be declared ineligible solely on the basis of their diagnosis or the percentage of benchmark disability. Instead, boards must assess a candidate’s functional abilities, the essential competencies required under competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum, and whether reasonable accommodation can enable them to complete the course.“After Supreme Court’s constant follow-up and directions, NMC has amended its interim guidelines and issued revised guidelines for MBBS admissions of students with disabilities. The biggest change is the shift from assessing eligibility on the basis of the percentage of disability to evaluating functional competency. Clinical accommodations are reasonable modifications that enable medical students with benchmark disability to participate in clinical training and patient care without compromising academic standards or patient safety,” said Prof Satendra Singh, coordinator at UCMS and GTB Hospital’s enabling unit.The guidelines also require medical boards to consider assistive devices, adaptive technology, communication support and other reasonable accommodations before arriving at a decision.While emphasising inclusion, NMC has said patient safety will remain an important consideration.On enabling units, NMC directed these should be set up in compliance with Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and recent Supreme Court directions aimed at ensuring inclusive medical education.The unit will also receive and address requests for disability-specific accommodations during the course of study, including clinical training and internship, according to the circular.
