The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued an addendum, dated 5 August 2026, to its earlier notification of 27 July 2026 on 'Guidelines on Assessment of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) for Admission to the MBBS Course, 2026'. The original guidelines required every candidate seeking admission under the PwBD category to hold a valid Permanent UDID Card. This addendum relaxes that strict requirement for candidates whose UDID card or disability certificate is currently temporary, in line with a Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment memorandum on disability benefits. This is a clarification/relaxation notice, not a new application window or result — it affects how PwBD candidates' eligibility will be assessed during MBBS admission 2026.
A candidate cannot be rejected for the PwBD category just because their UDID card is temporary — as long as the Medical Assessment Board verifies the disability is progressive, non-progressive, or not likely to improve.
What the original 27 July 2026 guideline said
Clause 9.2 of the NMC's 27 July 2026 Guidelines stated that every candidate applying under the PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) category for MBBS admission must possess a valid Permanent UDID Card. This left candidates holding only a temporary UDID card or temporary disability certificate in an uncertain position — their PwBD claim could potentially be turned down for this reason alone.
Why NMC issued this addendum
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, had issued an Office Memorandum on 17 December 2025 clarifying a general principle: persons with benchmark disabilities that are progressive, non-progressive, or not likely to improve should not be denied statutory benefits merely because their disability certificate happens to be temporary in nature.
NMC has now aligned its MBBS admission guidelines with this Office Memorandum, and with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and its 2024 Amendment Rules, so that PwBD candidates for MBBS 2026 are not unfairly excluded on a technicality.
What changes for PwBD candidates now
The addendum sets out how Clause 9.2 must now be read and applied by Medical Assessment Boards (the medical panels at NMC-notified centres that examine and certify a candidate's disability for admission purposes):
- A candidate will NOT be denied consideration under the PwBD category solely because their UDID Card or disability certificate is temporary — as long as their disability has been categorised as 'progressive', 'non-progressive', or 'not likely to improve'. This is subject to verification by the Medical Assessment Board under the 27 July 2026 Guidelines.
- If a candidate's temporary UDID card records their disability condition as 'likely to improve', the Medical Assessment Board must re-assess the benchmark disability using the assessment methodology prescribed under the Notification dated 12 March 2024 (issued by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities), in addition to assessing functional competency as required under the 27 July 2026 Guidelines.
- In every case, the Medical Assessment Board will still independently assess the candidate's functional competency (their practical ability to perform the tasks required for the MBBS course) as per the 27 July 2026 Guidelines, before issuing the Eligibility Certificate needed for PwBD admission.
The key trap to avoid
This addendum removes one obstacle but does not remove scrutiny altogether. Simply holding a temporary UDID card does not automatically guarantee a PwBD Eligibility Certificate — the Medical Assessment Board still has to verify and categorise the disability, and in 'likely to improve' cases, it must actively re-assess the candidate using the prescribed 12 March 2024 methodology. Candidates should not assume a temporary card is enough on paper; they must still go through the Board's assessment process and be prepared with all relevant medical records showing the nature and progression of their condition.
Candidates should also keep in mind this addendum only concerns the type/validity status of the UDID card or certificate — it does not change any other eligibility criteria, benchmark disability percentage requirements, or the list of disabilities covered under the 27 July 2026 Guidelines.
This addendum is now part of the official Guidelines
The NMC has explicitly stated that this addendum is issued to ensure uniform implementation of the 27 July 2026 Guidelines and shall be read as an integral part of those Guidelines. This means every Medical Assessment Board, counselling authority, and admitting medical college conducting MBBS admissions in 2026 must apply this clarified interpretation for PwBD candidates.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
I only have a temporary UDID card. Can I still apply under the PwBD category for MBBS 2026?
Yes. As per this addendum, you cannot be denied consideration solely because your UDID card is temporary, provided your disability is categorised as progressive, non-progressive, or not likely to improve, and this is verified by the Medical Assessment Board.
My temporary UDID card says my condition is 'likely to improve'. What happens then?
The Medical Assessment Board will re-assess your benchmark disability using the methodology prescribed in the 12 March 2024 notification of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, in addition to the standard functional competency assessment under the 27 July 2026 Guidelines.
Does this mean I will automatically get the PwBD Eligibility Certificate?
No. The Medical Assessment Board will still independently assess your functional competency before issuing the Eligibility Certificate, regardless of whether your UDID card is temporary or permanent.
What is the Medical Assessment Board?
It is the medical panel notified under the 27 July 2026 Guidelines that examines PwBD candidates to verify and categorise their disability and assess their functional competency for MBBS admission.
Does this addendum change anything else in the PwBD guidelines, like the disability list or percentage criteria?
No. This addendum only clarifies how temporary UDID cards/certificates should be treated. All other provisions of the 27 July 2026 Guidelines remain unchanged.
Where can I read the full original guidelines this addendum modifies?
The addendum refers to the NMC Notification No. U-11021/24204/2026-UGMEB dated 27.07.2026, titled 'Guidelines on Assessment of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) for Admission to the MBBS Course, 2026' — check the NMC website for the full document.
If you are applying under the PwBD category for MBBS admission 2026 and hold only a temporary UDID card, keep your complete medical records ready and report to the Medical Assessment Board as scheduled — do not assume the card's temporary status alone will disqualify you, but be prepared for a fresh assessment if your condition is marked 'likely to improve'. Keep checking the NMC website for the original 27 July 2026 Guidelines and any further updates on assessment centres and dates.
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