NEET UG Counselling 2026: MCC announces PwBD appeal process, 5 appellate boards set up

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has outlined a revised appeal mechanism for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) candidates seeking admission through NEET UG Counselling 2026.

The notice follows an addendum issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) to its July 27 notification on the "Guidelines on Assessment of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) for Admission to the MBBS Course, 2026."

The addendum will be treated as an integral part of the existing guidelines, and candidates applying under the PwBD category have been advised to review its provisions.

In accordance with Supreme Court directions, an Appellate Disability Assessment Body has been established to reassess PwBD candidates who are found ineligible by primary assessment boards.

The five designated Appellate Disability Assessment Boards are located at:

• VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi
• Grant Government Medical College & Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai
• Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
• Madras Medical College, Chennai
• Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (IPGMER), Kolkata

The NMC has also authorized 65 Primary Medical Assessment Boards across various states and Union Territories to assess PwBD candidates and issue eligibility certificates required to claim the 5% reservation provided under NMC norms.

The boards have been designated to assess candidates across different categories of specified disabilities and determine their eligibility for the PwBD quota in medical admissions.

Candidates declared ineligible by a Primary Disability Assessment Medical Board can challenge the assessment by submitting an appeal through the designated email addresses.

They must select one of the five Appellate Disability Assessment Boards before the start of the applicable NEET UG counseling round.

Once an appeal is received, the selected Appellate Board will arrange an assessment and inform the candidate about the date, time, and venue.

The board will examine the candidate's medical and disability-related documents and conduct the assessment in accordance with the 2024 Guidelines for Assessing the Extent of Specified Disabilities issued by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD).

The appellate board will subsequently issue a speaking order detailing the candidate's disability status, disability percentage, and eligibility for the PwBD category in NEET UG counseling.

The decision of the Appellate Disability Assessment Board will be final. The outcome will be shared with the MCC and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), following which candidates can participate in the counseling process according to the final assessment.