For young aspirants dreaming of becoming doctors, the NEET UG examination is an intensely competitive arena. Securing a single MBBS seat after clearing the exam involves a fierce struggle. Due to severe competition in general and other categories, numerous candidates attempt to secure admission through the medical or Persons with Disabilities quota in NEET UG. This reservation, granted during the counselling process, aims to assist genuinely needy and meritorious students facing physical challenges.
However, a recent incident from Uttarakhand's capital Dehradun has raised serious questions about the transparency of medical counselling. According to published reports, in a bid to grab MBBS seats under the NEET UG disability quota, several candidates from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra arrived at Dehradun's Doon Medical College attempting to prove themselves disabled using fraudulent documents. Nevertheless, this elaborate deception was exposed during a thorough examination conducted by a special medical board of expert doctors nominated by the National Medical Commission.
The Revelation at Doon Medical College and Investigation
Candidates staking claims on MBBS seats under the disability category for NEET UG counselling arrived at the Doon Medical College and Hospital in Dehradun. A special medical board headed by Dr. R.S. Bisht was established at the hospital, comprising specialist doctors from ophthalmology, orthopedics, and other departments. A total of 18 candidates from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Maharashtra appeared for the medical evaluations. During screenings in the ophthalmology and orthopedics departments, several students were caught claiming 40 to 50 percent disabilities while actually being entirely fit.
Ophthalmology checks revealed a startling situation that baffled the medical staff. Three candidates, consisting of two students from Uttarakhand and one female student from Bihar, had documented themselves as 40 to 50 percent visually impaired. However, when doctors conducted clinical and machine-based eye examinations, the candidates experienced no difficulty reading small letters on charts. Machine reports similarly confirmed the complete absence of any visual disability.
Foot Disability Measured at Only Twelve Percent and Candidates Flee
The orthopedic department examinations uncovered equally shocking findings. A female student hailing from Maharashtra had claimed a 40 percent locomotor disability in her legs, but medical tests revealed her disability was a mere 12 percent. This figure fell drastically short of the mandatory NEET counselling benchmark of a minimum 40 percent. Similarly, another female student from Uttar Pradesh claimed a 45 percent disability. When doctors initiated strict questioning and raised queries regarding her documents, she vanished without completing the examination. Several other candidates fled upon observing the stringent screening and never returned before the medical board.
Questions Raised Over Issuance of Fake Certificates
The operational integrity of the medical boards that issued these disability certificates loaded with fabricated figures has now come under intense scrutiny. How were these certificates issued in the absence of genuine physical impairments? Meanwhile, the medical board at Doon Medical College has uploaded the certificates of 13 verified and eligible candidates following the checks. Such fraudulent practices cast a dark shadow over the transparency of the nation's premier medical entrance examination, warning that without strict penal actions, genuinely deserving disabled students will lose their rightful seats.
