Eligibility For MBBS/BDS Admissions: SC Upholds J&K HC Ruling

Srinagar- The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday upheld the Jammu & Kashmir High Court's judgment regarding the eligibility of persons with temporary disabilities for MBBS and BDS admissions under the Persons with Benchmark Disability (PWD) category.

According to Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the Supreme Court dismissed the Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) filed against the High Court ruling issued last year in W.P. (C). The petitions sought relief for candidates whose temporary disability certificates did not meet the criteria for long-term eligibility under the PWD category, which falls under Horizontal Reservation.

JKBOPEE Secretary, Dr. Shabir Hussain Keen, explained that the High Court had clarified that only disabilities with a minimum period of 10 years qualify as long-term and are eligible for reservation benefits under the PWD category. He added that of the five petitioners challenging JKBOPEE's rejection of temporary disability certificates, two had filed SLPs in the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court heard the petitions extensively over multiple sessions and, after considering both sides, concluded that no relief could be granted to the petitioners. While the Court condoned the delay in filing the petitions, it ultimately dismissed them, vacated interim orders, and disposed of all pending applications related to the matter.

Dr. Keen stated that with this ruling, the High Court's judgment stands upheld, giving finality to JKBOPEE's policy on temporary disability certificates and confirming that candidates with disabilities of less than 10 years will not be eligible for PWD reservation benefits for MBBS or BDS admissions for the 2024–25 academic session.

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