NEET UG 2026 PwBD Category: Eligibility Certificate & Assessment Process

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued revised guidelines for assessing candidates with benchmark disabilities (PwBD) seeking admission to MBBS courses in 2026. If you have a disability and want to claim a PwBD seat during NEET UG 2026 counselling, you must first obtain an Eligibility Certificate from one of 62 designated Medical Assessment Boards across India. This certificate is not automatic—it is based on a functional assessment of your ability to complete the MBBS course, not just your disability percentage. The assessment considers your functional competencies, the feasibility of reasonable accommodations, and patient safety. This notice explains exactly what you need to do, what documents to bring, and what outcomes are possible.

What is the PwBD Category and Who Can Apply

The Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) category is a reserved quota for MBBS admission. To be eligible, you must have a benchmark disability of at least 40% as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. This means your disability must be certified and recorded in your Permanent UDID (Unique Disability Identity) Card issued by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.

Benchmark disabilities include locomotor disability (upper or lower limb), hearing impairment, visual impairment, mental illness, specific learning disorder (SLD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and other specified disabilities. If your disability is not one of these categories or is below 40%, you are not eligible for the PwBD quota.

Why You Need an Eligibility Certificate—Not Just a Disability Certificate

This is a critical change. In the past, a 'Disability Certificate' was enough. Now, the NMC requires an 'Eligibility Certificate' that certifies whether you can actually acquire the essential competencies needed to be a doctor. The certificate is not just about confirming your disability exists—it is about confirming you can function as a medical student and future physician.

The assessment is function-oriented, not diagnosis-oriented. This means the Medical Assessment Board will not reject you simply because you have a particular disability or a certain percentage of disability. Instead, they will evaluate: Can you communicate? Can you perform clinical examinations? Can you write and hold instruments? Can you understand medical terminology? Can you work in a hospital environment? If the answer is yes (with or without reasonable accommodations), you get the certificate. If the answer is no even with accommodations, you will be marked ineligible.

Only candidates who obtain this Eligibility Certificate from a designated Medical Assessment Board will be shown PwBD seat choices during counselling. Without it, you cannot access PwBD seats.

Documents You Must Bring to the Medical Assessment Board

When you visit one of the 62 designated Medical Assessment Boards, you must bring the following documents. Missing even one can delay or prevent your assessment.

Your NEET UG 2026 scorecard is proof that you are eligible for MBBS admission on merit. Your Permanent UDID Card is the official government document proving your disability and its nature, extent, and percentage. This card is issued by the DEPwD and is non-negotiable—a temporary or provisional UDID will not be accepted. You must also bring self-certified affidavits declaring your functional abilities in the exact format specified by the NMC. These affidavits are disability-specific and are provided in Appendices A through F of the guidelines.

• NEET UG 2026 scorecard demonstrating eligibility for MBBS
• Permanent UDID Card issued by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India
• Self-Certification Affidavit (Appendix-A) — general form filled by all PwBD candidates
• Disability-specific affidavit matching your disability type: Appendix-B (Hearing Impairment), Appendix-C (Locomotor Disability—Upper Limb), Appendix-D (Locomotor Disability—Lower Limb), Appendix-E (Mental Illness/SLD/ASD), or Appendix-F (Visual Disability)

The Self-Certification Affidavits: What You Must Declare

The affidavits ask you to declare your functional abilities in specific areas. These are not trick questions—they are designed to assess whether you can perform the essential competencies of a doctor. You must answer honestly. False declarations can result in revocation of your admission and legal action.

The general affidavit (Appendix-A) asks about five core competency areas: Communication (can you communicate clearly and empathetically with people using assistive devices?), Hearing (can you hear and respond to speech in quiet and noisy environments?), Dominant Hand Functionality (can you write and hold instruments?), Understanding/Communication (can you follow and comprehend medical terminology and maintain social interaction?), and Vision (does your vision improve to less than 40% disability with low vision aids?). For each, you mark yes or no.

The disability-specific affidavits go deeper. For example, if you have a locomotor disability affecting your lower limbs, you declare whether you can bear weight and stand on both legs, walk on plain surfaces, sit on a chair, and turn right and left. If you have hearing impairment, you declare which ear(s) are affected and whether you use hearing aids or cochlear implants. If you have visual impairment, you declare whether you use low vision aids and whether your vision improves to less than 40% with those aids. These declarations are verified by the Medical Assessment Board during your assessment.

The Assessment Process: What Happens at the Medical Assessment Board

When you arrive at the Medical Assessment Board with your documents, the board will conduct a functional assessment. This is not a pass-or-fail exam. It is a detailed evaluation of your ability to acquire the essential competencies required by the Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum. The board may ask you to perform certain tasks, answer questions about your functional abilities, or undergo clinical examination to verify the information in your affidavits.

The board will verify your UDID Card to confirm your disability is genuine and meets the 40% benchmark. They will review your self-certified affidavits and may ask you to demonstrate the abilities you have declared. For example, if you declare you can write and hold instruments, they may ask you to write or hold a pen. If you declare you can hear and respond to speech, they may test your hearing in quiet and noisy environments. If you declare you can perform coordinated activities with your limbs, they may ask you to perform simple movements.

The board will also assess whether reasonable accommodations (assistive devices, adaptive equipment, digital accessibility, accessible teaching materials, communication support, ergonomic modifications, examination accommodations, or accessible clinical learning environments) would enable you to acquire the essential competencies. If you need accommodations, the board will note what accommodations are feasible and recommend them in your certificate.

The board may also consider patient safety. However, any conclusion about patient safety must be based on objective clinical and functional evidence, not on stereotypes or generalized assumptions about disability. For example, if your disability demonstrably prevents you from performing a critical clinical task even with accommodations, that is a valid safety concern. But if you can perform the task with an assistive device or modified technique, patient safety is not a barrier.

The Three Possible Outcomes of Your Assessment

After the assessment, the Medical Assessment Board will issue one of three certificates: Eligible, Eligible with Reasonable Accommodation, or Ineligible. Each has different implications for your counselling and admission.

If you are marked 'Eligible,' you can claim any PwBD seat without restrictions. You do not need any special accommodations to complete the MBBS course. This is the best outcome.

If you are marked 'Eligible with Reasonable Accommodation,' you can claim PwBD seats, but the college must provide the specific accommodations recommended by the board. For example, if the board recommends low vision aids, hearing aids, accessible digital materials, or examination accommodations, the college must provide them. The certificate will list the exact accommodations. You must ensure the college you choose can provide these accommodations before accepting a seat.

If you are marked 'Ineligible,' you cannot claim PwBD seats. This happens only when the board determines, after considering reasonable accommodations and assistive technology, that you cannot acquire the essential competencies required by the CBME curriculum, or that your disability poses a demonstrable and unacceptable risk to patient safety that cannot be mitigated through reasonable accommodation. The board must provide written reasons for this decision. You have the right to appeal this decision to an Appellate Authority constituted by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Critical Trap: Fake UDID Cards and Affidavits Will Result in Seat Cancellation

This is a serious warning. If the Medical Assessment Board or the counselling authority discovers that your UDID Card is fake or that your affidavit contains false information, your seat will be cancelled immediately. You will also face legal action. Do not attempt to forge or misrepresent your disability. The consequences are severe and permanent.

Similarly, if you submit an affidavit declaring abilities you do not actually have, and this is discovered during the assessment or later during your course, your admission can be revoked. The board will verify your declarations during the assessment, so dishonesty will likely be caught immediately.

The 62 Designated Medical Assessment Boards Across India

The NMC has expanded the number of Medical Assessment Boards from 16 to 61 (now 62 with recent additions) to make the assessment process more accessible. These boards are located in major medical colleges and hospitals across all states and union territories. You can visit any board, regardless of which state you are from or where you plan to study. However, it is advisable to visit a board near your location to save time and travel costs.

The boards are located in cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Mysuru, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Patna, Ahmedabad, and many others. Each board has specific specialties available for assessment. For example, some boards can assess all disabilities, while others specialize in hearing or speech disabilities. Check the list (Annexure 1) to find the board nearest to you and confirm it can assess your specific disability type.

State Quota PwBD Seats: Different Rules Apply

If you want to claim a PwBD seat under the 85% State Quota (seats filled by your state's counselling authority), you must visit your state's Medical Assessment Board, not the MCC boards. Your state's board will conduct the assessment according to the same NMC guidelines. However, the evaluation must be done by your state's board, and the certificate will be valid only for your state's counselling process.

Check with your state's medical counselling authority to find out which hospitals or medical colleges in your state conduct PwBD assessments. The process and documents required are the same as for MCC boards.

Important Dates and Validity of Your Certificate

The notice does not specify a deadline for obtaining your Eligibility Certificate. However, you should obtain it as soon as possible before counselling begins. Counselling dates are typically announced by MCC and state authorities separately. Check the official MCC website (mcc.nic.in) and your state's medical counselling authority website for exact dates.

Your Eligibility Certificate is valid for the 2026-27 academic session only. If you do not get admitted in 2026, you will need a fresh assessment and certificate for the next year. The certificate cannot be carried forward to future years.

What Happens If You Disagree With the Board's Decision

If the Medical Assessment Board marks you as 'Ineligible' and you disagree with the decision, you have the right to appeal. You can file an appeal with the Appellate Authority constituted by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The Appellate Authority will independently review your case, may call for the board's records, may direct a fresh assessment by another expert, and will issue a reasoned and speaking order explaining its decision. The Appellate Authority's decision is final for counselling and admission purposes, subject to any court order.

If you are marked 'Eligible with Reasonable Accommodation' but the college you are allotted cannot provide the recommended accommodations, you should raise a grievance with the college and the counselling authority. Every medical college and counselling authority must maintain an effective, accessible, and time-bound grievance redressal mechanism for disability-related complaints.

Frequently asked questions

If you have a benchmark disability of 40% or more and want to claim a PwBD seat in NEET UG 2026 counselling, visit one of the 62 designated Medical Assessment Boards with your NEET scorecard, Permanent UDID Card, and completed affidavits (notarized). The board will conduct a functional assessment and issue an Eligibility Certificate within a few days. Only with this certificate can you access PwBD seats during counselling. Do not delay—obtain your certificate well before counselling begins. If you have questions about which board to visit or what documents you need, contact the MCC office at adgme@nic.in or your state's medical counselling authority.