MCC NEET-PG 2026: PwD Candidates – NMC Rules & Grievance Process

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has issued a clarification notice on 15 October 2026 addressing grievances from Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD/PwBD) regarding NEET-PG 2026 counselling and admission. The notice makes clear that MCC is only the executive agency that conducts counselling — it does not make the rules for PwD eligibility. All rules governing disability categories, minimum and maximum degree of disability, and course suitability are framed by the National Medical Commission (NMC) under the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. This is an important clarification for any PwD candidate with questions about their eligibility or the rules that apply to them.

What This Notice Is About

This is a clarification notice from MCC, the body that runs NEET-PG counselling and seat allotment across India. It addresses a common source of confusion: candidates with disabilities sometimes approach MCC with questions or complaints about PwD eligibility rules, thinking MCC makes those rules. This notice sets the record straight.

The notice explains that MCC is an executive agency — it runs the counselling process and allocates seats according to rules that already exist. It does not create, interpret, relax, or change those rules. All the rules that govern PwD candidates — which disability categories qualify, what the minimum and maximum degree of disability must be, whether a particular disability makes a candidate suitable for a particular course — are made by the National Medical Commission (NMC), not by MCC.

This matters because if you have a grievance about a PwD rule or need clarification on how it applies to you, you now know exactly where to go: the NMC, not MCC. Approaching the wrong authority will waste your time.

Who Makes the PwD Rules?

The National Medical Commission (NMC) is the authority that frames all rules, guidelines, and eligibility criteria for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities in postgraduate medical education. These rules are made under two legal frameworks: the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (set by NMC) and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (a national law).

The NMC decides which disability categories are recognised, what the minimum degree of disability is (e.g., 40%, 50%, or higher), what the maximum degree is, and whether a candidate with a particular disability is medically and professionally suitable for a particular postgraduate course (for example, whether a candidate with a specific visual or mobility disability can safely train in a particular specialty).

MCC's job is to implement these NMC rules exactly as notified. MCC has no power to change them, soften them, or make exceptions. This is why the notice emphasises that MCC 'has no authority to interpret, relax, or modify' the PwD rules.

What Counts as a PwD Grievance?

A PwD grievance is any complaint, question, or doubt you have about the rules that apply to you as a candidate with a disability. Examples include:

You are unsure whether your disability category is recognised under the NMC guidelines. You believe your degree of disability (e.g., 40%, 60%) should qualify you but the system says it does not. You have been told you are not suitable for a particular course because of your disability, and you want to challenge that decision or understand the reasoning. You think a rule is unfair or should be relaxed in your case. You need clarification on what documents you must submit to prove your disability status.

• Uncertainty about whether your disability category is recognised
• Questions about minimum or maximum degree-of-disability thresholds
• Disputes over course suitability for your disability
• Requests for rule relaxation or exceptions
• Need for clarification on disability documentation requirements

Where to Go: Contact the NMC, Not MCC

If you have any grievance or doubt about PwD rules and guidelines, you must approach the National Medical Commission (NMC) directly. Do not approach MCC with these questions — MCC will tell you it cannot help, because it does not make the rules.

The notice does not provide a specific NMC contact address or email in this document, but you can find NMC contact details on the official NMC website (nmc.org.in). When you contact NMC, be clear and specific: explain your disability, the rule you are questioning, and what clarification or resolution you are seeking.

MCC will continue to conduct counselling and allotment strictly according to the rules and guidelines notified by NMC and any directions issued by competent courts. So once NMC has clarified or ruled on your grievance, MCC will implement that decision.

• Contact: National Medical Commission (NMC) — not MCC
• Find NMC contact details on nmc.org.in
• Be specific: state your disability, the rule in question, and what you need
• MCC will implement any NMC clarification or court direction

What MCC Will and Will Not Do

MCC will conduct counselling and allotment in strict accordance with the rules and guidelines notified by NMC. This means MCC will apply the disability categories, degree thresholds, and course-suitability rules exactly as NMC has set them out. MCC will also follow any directions issued by competent courts (if a court has ruled on a PwD matter, MCC will implement that ruling).

MCC will not interpret the rules — that is, it will not explain what a rule means if the meaning is unclear, because that could lead to a change in how the rule is applied. MCC will not relax the rules — it will not make exceptions or bend the rules for individual candidates, even if the candidate has a sympathetic case. MCC will not modify the rules — it will not change them, soften them, or create new ones.

If you believe MCC has applied a rule incorrectly, or if you have a grievance about how MCC has treated you during counselling, that is a different matter — you can raise that with MCC. But if your grievance is about the rule itself (whether it is fair, whether it should be changed, whether it should apply to you), that must go to NMC.

• MCC will apply NMC rules exactly as notified
• MCC will follow court directions on PwD matters
• MCC will NOT interpret, relax, or modify rules
• MCC will NOT make exceptions for individual candidates
• Grievances about the rules themselves must go to NMC

What You Must Do Now

Read the Information Bulletin for NEET-PG 2026 carefully. This document contains the full details of how PwD candidates are treated in counselling, what documents you must submit, and what the eligibility rules are. Do not skip this — it is your primary source of information.

Read the NMC guidelines on PwD candidates in postgraduate medical education. These are available on the NMC website (nmc.org.in). Understand which disability categories are recognised, what degree of disability you need, and whether your disability is considered suitable for the course you want to apply for.

Monitor the MCC website (mcc.nic.in) regularly for updates. MCC may issue further clarifications or notices as counselling progresses. If you have a grievance about a PwD rule, contact NMC directly with your question — do not wait or assume the rule will be changed.

• Read the NEET-PG 2026 Information Bulletin in full
• Read the NMC guidelines on PwD eligibility (available on nmc.org.in)
• Check mcc.nic.in regularly for updates and further notices
• If you have a PwD rule grievance, contact NMC directly

Key Legal Framework

The rules that govern PwD candidates in NEET-PG are based on two legal instruments. First, the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, which are made by the National Medical Commission under its statutory authority. Second, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which is a national law that protects the rights of people with disabilities across all sectors, including education and employment.

These two frameworks together define what 'benchmark disability' means, which disabilities are recognised, what accommodations and reservations are available, and what the eligibility criteria are. MCC implements these frameworks but does not create or change them. If you believe a rule is unjust or should be changed, that is a matter for NMC or for the courts — not for MCC.

• Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (made by NMC)
• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (national law)

Common Misunderstandings to Avoid

Misunderstanding 1: 'MCC can relax the PwD rules for me if I ask nicely or have a good reason.' No. MCC has no authority to relax any rule. If you believe a rule should be relaxed in your case, you must petition NMC or go to court — MCC cannot help.

Misunderstanding 2: 'If I complain to MCC about a PwD rule, MCC will fix it.' No. MCC will direct you to NMC. MCC is not the decision-maker on PwD policy.

Misunderstanding 3: 'The Information Bulletin and NMC guidelines are optional reading.' No. These documents contain the rules that will be applied to you. If you do not read them and later find you are ineligible, that is your loss. Read them carefully before you apply.

Misunderstanding 4: 'If I disagree with a PwD rule, I can just ignore it and apply anyway.' No. MCC will apply the rules as notified. If you do not meet the criteria, your application will be rejected. Your only recourse is to contact NMC or go to court.

• MCC cannot relax rules — only NMC can
• MCC cannot change policy — only NMC can
• The Information Bulletin and NMC guidelines are mandatory reading
• Rules will be applied as notified — you cannot ignore them

Frequently asked questions

If you are a PwD candidate, your first step is to read the NEET-PG 2026 Information Bulletin and the NMC guidelines on PwD eligibility (on nmc.org.in) carefully. If you have any doubt or grievance about the rules, contact the National Medical Commission directly — not MCC. MCC will conduct counselling according to the rules NMC has set, and will follow any NMC clarification or court direction. Monitor mcc.nic.in for updates as counselling progresses.