The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a fresh set of Guidelines, dated 27 July 2026, that govern how candidates with benchmark disabilities are assessed for admission to the MBBS course under the PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) category. This is not a seat-matrix or counselling-schedule notice — it is a rulebook change that affects every PwBD candidate appearing before a Medical Assessment Board this admission season. The most visible change: what used to be called a 'Disability Certificate' will now officially be called an 'Eligibility Certificate.' More importantly, the Guidelines shift the basis of assessment away from just the percentage or category of disability recorded in your UDID card, toward an individualised evaluation of what you can actually do — your 'functional competency' — with or without assistive devices and reasonable accommodation. The Guidelines also prescribe a mandatory self-certified affidavit format and a standard Eligibility Certificate format that every Medical Assessment Board across the country must now use.
Your MBBS eligibility under the PwBD category will now be decided by an individualised assessment of what you can functionally do — not by your disability percentage or category alone — and you must carry a self-certified affidavit in the prescribed format to your Medical Assessment Board appointment.
Why This Matters to You Right Now
If you are appearing for NEET UG 2026 and intend to claim a seat under the PwBD category, you will eventually be sent to a designated Medical Assessment Board to get certified. These new Guidelines are the rulebook that Board will follow when it examines you. They replace all earlier guidelines and instructions issued by the NMC or the erstwhile Medical Council of India on this subject.
The Guidelines apply to every candidate seeking MBBS admission under the PwBD category, every recognised medical college, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), all State Counselling Authorities, and every Medical Assessment Board in the country. In short — this is the single framework everyone must now follow.
The Big Change: 'Disability Certificate' Is Now Called 'Eligibility Certificate'
The certificate issued by the designated Medical Boards for MBBS admission was commonly called a 'Disability Certificate.' The Guidelines formally rename it the 'Eligibility Certificate.' The reasoning given: the certificate is meant to certify whether you are eligible for admission based on a functional assessment — not merely to record the existence or extent of your disability.
This is more than a label change. It signals that the certificate's purpose is to answer one question — can you, with or without reasonable accommodation, acquire the essential competencies of the MBBS course — rather than simply stating your disability percentage.
Basic Eligibility: The 40% Rule and the UDID Card
To be considered under the PwBD category at all, you must have a benchmark disability of not less than 40%, as recognised under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
You must also hold a valid Permanent Unique Disability Identity (UDID) Card issued through the UDID Portal by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan). This card is your primary documentary evidence of the nature, category and percentage of your disability.
Important: even though your UDID card records a percentage and category, the Medical Assessment Board will NOT decide your eligibility solely based on that number or category. It will independently assess your functional competency. If the Board considers it necessary, it can ask you to undergo further clinical examination or functional evaluation beyond what your UDID card shows.
A procedural defect or discrepancy in your UDID Card will not by itself disqualify you, provided the defect can be corrected and your disability is otherwise established as per law.
The Self-Certified Affidavit You Must Submit — Trap Alert
Every PwBD candidate must submit a self-certified affidavit declaring their functional abilities, in the exact format prescribed in Schedule-I of the Guidelines. The Medical Assessment Board will verify this affidavit during your assessment.
Schedule-I is not one generic form — it contains a general self-certification form (Appendix-A) plus separate, disability-specific affidavits that you must additionally file depending on your disability type. Filing the wrong form, or skipping the disability-specific appendix that applies to you, is exactly the kind of paperwork error that can delay or derail your certification. Check the table below carefully for which appendix applies to you.
One notable carve-out: candidates with benchmark disabilities OTHER THAN locomotor, visual, hearing, SLD, ASD or mental illness (for example, blood disorders like Haemophilia, Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell disease, or chronic neurological conditions) only need to submit the general Appendix-A form — they do not need any of the disability-specific appendices.
| Appendix | Who Must File It |
|---|---|
| Appendix-A | General Self-Certification Form — every PwBD applicant must file this |
| Appendix-B | Affidavit for candidates declaring Hearing Impairment |
| Appendix-C | Affidavit for Locomotor Disability — Upper Limb Extremity (coordinated activities like writing, eating, buttoning clothes) |
| Appendix-D | Affidavit for Locomotor Disability — Lower Limb Extremity (stability activities like standing, walking, climbing stairs) |
| Appendix-E | Affidavit for Mental Illness / Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) / Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) |
| Appendix-F | Affidavit for Visual Disability, including declaration on use of low-vision aid |
How the Medical Assessment Board Decides Your Case
After examining you, the Board must issue one of three findings, recorded through the standard 'Eligibility Certificate' (Schedule-II format):
Eligible — you can complete the MBBS course and acquire the essential competencies without accommodation.
Eligible with Reasonable Accommodation — you can complete the course, but the Board recommends specific support: assistive devices, adaptive equipment, digital accessibility tools, accessible teaching material, communication support, ergonomic modifications, exam accommodations, or accessible clinical learning environments.
Ineligible — the Board finds, in a written and reasoned order, that you cannot acquire the essential competencies even with reasonable accommodation, OR that your disability poses an unacceptable and unmitigable risk to patient safety.
Crucially, the Guidelines forbid the Board from declaring anyone ineligible merely because of their diagnosis, disability category, or the percentage recorded on their UDID card or Disability Certificate. Ineligibility can only follow a documented, functional, evidence-based finding — and the Board must record its reasons, findings, accommodation considered, and final recommendation in writing.
What the Board Actually Checks
During assessment, the Board will look at several things together, not just your certificate:
- Your UDID Card details, plus the nature, extent and stability of your underlying medical condition
- Your functional abilities against the essential competencies required by the MBBS curriculum
- How effective any assistive device, technology or adaptive aid you use actually is
- Whether reasonable accommodation can be feasibly provided to help you complete the course
- Whether your disability has any demonstrable impact on patient safety
- Any other clinical, functional or educational factor relevant to your case
If You Disagree With the Board's Decision: The Appeal Route
If you are unhappy with the Board's finding, you can file an appeal before the Appellate Authority constituted by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. You must file the appeal within the time and manner notified by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) — so watch for MCC's timeline notices once you have your certificate.
The Appellate Authority can call for your assessment records, order a fresh medical examination by a specialist, seek a second opinion, or conduct any further examination it considers necessary. It must pass a written, reasoned order explaining whether it is affirming, modifying, or setting aside the Board's finding. The Appellate Authority's decision is final for counselling and admission purposes — though it remains subject to any order of a competent court.
Assessment Centres Have Expanded
To improve accessibility, the number of designated assessment centres across the country has been expanded from 16 to 61 by the DGHS. Any further expansion will be notified by the MCC from time to time. This means candidates from many more locations should now find an assessment centre closer to them, but you should still check the current, updated list through the official MCC/DGHS channels closer to your assessment date, since the Guidelines themselves do not list the centres by name.
Institutional Duties You Should Know About
The Guidelines also place duties on medical colleges — barrier-free access, reasonable accommodation, sensitisation programmes for faculty and staff, and a designated Nodal Officer at each college to address PwBD candidates' clinical accommodation needs. While these are not things you personally have to arrange, knowing they exist means you can ask your college's Nodal Officer for support once admitted, and you have a grievance redressal mechanism to fall back on if any college or counselling authority discriminates against you or denies you reasonable accommodation without following this process.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Do I still need a UDID card to apply under the PwBD category?
Yes. A valid Permanent UDID Card issued through the UDID Portal is required as primary evidence of your disability, and you must have a benchmark disability of at least 40% to be eligible for the PwBD category.
Can I be declared ineligible just because my disability percentage looks high on my UDID card?
No. The Guidelines specifically state that no candidate can be declared ineligible solely on the basis of the diagnosis, category of disability, or the percentage recorded in the UDID Card or Disability Certificate. The Medical Assessment Board must base ineligibility on a written, reasoned finding about your actual functional ability and patient-safety risk that cannot be fixed with reasonable accommodation.
What is the difference between 'Disability Certificate' and 'Eligibility Certificate'?
They refer to the same certificate. The Guidelines have simply renamed it 'Eligibility Certificate' because its real purpose is to certify whether you are eligible for MBBS admission based on functional assessment, not just to record your disability.
What documents do I need to carry to the Medical Assessment Board?
Your UDID Card, and a self-certified affidavit in the format given in Schedule-I of the Guidelines — the general Appendix-A form, plus the disability-specific appendix (B, C, D, E or F) that matches your condition, if applicable.
What happens if the Board recommends 'Eligible with Reasonable Accommodation'?
It means you are cleared for admission, but the Board has recommended specific support (like assistive devices, accessible material, or exam accommodations) to help you complete the course. This recommendation will be written into your Eligibility Certificate.
Can I appeal if the Board declares me ineligible?
Yes. You can appeal to the Appellate Authority constituted by the DGHS, within the time and manner that the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) notifies. The Appellate Authority can order a fresh assessment and will pass a written, reasoned decision.
Are there more assessment centres now than before?
Yes. The DGHS has expanded the number of designated Medical Assessment Boards from 16 to 61 across the country, and further expansion will be notified by the MCC from time to time.
Will a minor error in my UDID card get my application rejected?
Not automatically. The Guidelines say a candidate cannot be denied consideration solely because of a procedural defect or discrepancy in the UDID Card, provided the defect is fixable and the disability is otherwise established in accordance with law.
If you are applying under the PwBD category for NEET UG 2026, download the Schedule-I self-certification affidavit format relevant to your disability type now, keep your UDID card updated and ready, and be prepared for a functional assessment rather than a simple certificate check when you appear before the Medical Assessment Board. Watch MCC and DGHS communications for your assigned assessment centre and appeal timelines, since those specifics are notified separately from these Guidelines.
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