MCC Notice for NEET UG 2026 PwBD Candidates: NMC Addendum on Temporary UDID Cards and New Appellate Disability Boards

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has put out a notice for candidates applying under the PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) category in NEET UG Counselling 2026. It carries two important pieces of information. First, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued an addendum clarifying how a temporary UDID (Unique Disability Identity) card should be treated when a candidate claims the 5% PwBD reservation. Second, following a Supreme Court direction, an Appellate Body and five Appellate Disability Assessment Boards have been set up so that candidates who are declared ineligible by their local medical board can get a second, independent assessment. The notice also lists all 65 Primary Medical Assessment Boards across India that issue the Eligibility Certificate PwBD candidates need. This is an informational and procedural notice, not a new application window — but PwBD candidates must understand it before their counselling round begins.

Background: Why This Notice Was Issued

On 27.07.2026, the NMC had notified detailed 'Guidelines on Assessment of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) for Admission to the MBBS Course, 2026'. Clause 9.2 of those guidelines said every PwBD candidate must hold a valid Permanent UDID Card.

Many candidates, however, hold a temporary UDID card or disability certificate — often because their disability is being monitored, or the certifying authority has not yet issued the permanent version. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) had already clarified in an Office Memorandum dated 17.12.2025 that people with progressive, non-progressive, or 'not likely to improve' benchmark disabilities should not lose statutory benefits just because their certificate is temporary.

To bring the MBBS admission guidelines in line with that memorandum, the NMC issued this addendum on 05.08.2026. MCC's notice of 07.08.2026 passes this addendum, plus the appeal mechanism, on to candidates.

What the Addendum Actually Changes for You

If you hold a temporary UDID card, read this carefully — it directly affects whether your PwBD claim can be accepted.

The addendum lays down three rules for the Medical Assessment Board that examines you:

• A candidate cannot be rejected only because the UDID Card or Disability Certificate is temporary, if the disability is recorded as 'progressive', 'non-progressive', or 'not likely to improve' — but the Medical Assessment Board must still verify this classification as per the 27.07.2026 Guidelines.
• If your Temporary UDID records the disability as 'likely to improve', the Medical Assessment Board must re-assess your benchmark disability using the assessment method prescribed in the DEPwD notification dated 12th March 2024, in addition to checking functional competency under the 27.07.2026 Guidelines.
• In every case, the Board will still independently assess your functional competency under the 27.07.2026 Guidelines before it issues the Eligibility Certificate — so holding a temporary UDID does not guarantee automatic clearance; it only removes 'temporary' as an automatic ground for rejection.

Appellate Disability Assessment Boards — What They Are and When to Use Them

In compliance with a Supreme Court direction (M.A. No. 378/2025 in CA No. 14333/2024), a new Appellate Body has been constituted to give PwBD candidates a route for a second opinion if their local (Primary) Medical Assessment Board declares them ineligible for the PwBD quota.

There are five Appellate Disability Assessment Boards, spread across the country so candidates do not always have to travel to Delhi. Each has a designated nodal officer you can contact for scheduling.

Step-by-Step: How to File and Attend an Appeal

If your Primary Medical Assessment Board has declared you ineligible for the PwBD category, follow this process exactly as laid out in the notice's Standard Operating Procedure.

• Step 1 — Submit your appeal by email to both disabilityappeal-chair@gov.in and disabilityappeal-convener@gov.in, stating which of the five Appellate Boards you choose. This must be done BEFORE your respective NEET counselling round begins — there is no fixed calendar date; the deadline is tied to your own round.
• Step 2 — The nodal officer of the Appellate Board you chose will contact you with the date, time, venue and instructions for your assessment, based on your availability.
• Step 3 — Report to the chosen Appellate Board on the scheduled date. All your relevant medical and disability documents will be examined.
• Step 4 — The Board conducts the disability assessment following the 2024 DEPwD 'Guidelines for assessing the extent of specified disabilities'; it may co-opt additional specialists if needed.
• Step 5 — The Board records a final decision with a speaking order, stating your percentage of disability and your eligibility for the PwBD category. This decision is final.
• Step 6 — The decision is sent to MCC, with a copy to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
• Step 7 — Once the decision reaches MCC, you proceed with NEET counselling based on that final decision.

Finding Your Nearest Primary Medical Assessment Board

Before any appeal comes into the picture, every PwBD candidate must first be examined by a Primary Medical Assessment Board, which issues the Eligibility Certificate needed to claim the 5% PwBD reservation in NEET UG counselling. The notice lists 65 such boards across India. A few of them can only certify specific types of disability — check this carefully so you don't travel to the wrong centre.

All Primary Medical Assessment Boards have also been instructed to include one PwBD doctor or health professional (a regular employee) as a member of the board.

Traps That Can Cost You Your PwBD Seat

PwBD assessment is one of the most document- and process-sensitive parts of NEET counselling. These are the specific traps flagged in this notice.

• ⚠️ Wrong board for your disability type — Boards like AIIPMR (Mumbai, locomotor only), Ali Yavar Jung Institute (Mumbai, hearing only), and AIISH (Mysuru, speech & hearing only) do NOT certify all disability categories. Going to the wrong board wastes time and may delay your certificate.
• ⚠️ Partial exclusions at some boards — Goa Medical College does not cover Speech Disability; SMS Medical College Jaipur cannot do certain Neurology genetic tests or ENT speech/language tests; ABVIMS & RMLH New Delhi does not cover ENT. Confirm your board covers your specific disability before you travel.
• ⚠️ A temporary UDID is not an automatic pass — the addendum stops boards from rejecting you only because your certificate is temporary, but the Medical Assessment Board will still independently verify your disability classification and functional competency before issuing the Eligibility Certificate.
• ⚠️ Appeal deadline is tied to YOUR counselling round — the notice is explicit that the appeal must be submitted 'before the commencement of their respective round of NEET counselling.' There is no separate calendar date; missing your own round's start means you lose the chance to appeal for that round.
• ⚠️ The Appellate Board's decision is final — there is no further appeal within this process once the Appellate Board records its speaking order.

Frequently asked questions

If you are applying under the PwBD category for NEET UG 2026, first get assessed at the correct Primary Medical Assessment Board for your disability type, and keep your UDID card and all medical records ready — a temporary UDID alone can no longer be used to reject you, but the board will still check your case. If you are declared ineligible, act quickly: email your appeal with your choice of Appellate Board before your counselling round starts, since there is no other window to raise it later.