MCI asks Karnataka Medical College to counsel Blind student threatening suicide

New Delhi: The Medical Council of India(MCI) has advised a Karnataka Medical College to counsel its second-year MBBS student, who is threatening to take his life after his admission was cancelled on grounds of severe visual disability.

The apex education regulator has been trying to make amends in the situation by trying to work out a cure for the student, which on the face of it seems to be incurable, Stated an MCI official to the HT.

“If so, then there is no way we can allow the student to continue MBBS because our norms are very clear as far as physical disability is concerned,” the official said.

The 19-year-old Suresh, from Raichur, Karnataka, can’t see beyond 8cm claims a HT report.

Suresh threatened suicide after the apex education regulator announced that his condition was too severe for him to be allowed to pursue a medical course and cancelled his candidature. He was given admission against seats set aside for disabled students.

The MCI’s letter to the College and the Raichur District Magistrate advises the two to handle the case with utmost sensitivity.

The admission cancellation in Suresh’s case was issued on June 26, 2017, after his Ist year medical program completion.

As per MCI rules, the only disability allowed in medical colleges is of the lower limbs, with a 50%-70% severity. Someone with a severe condition is not eligible for admission.

A parliament bill passed in December 2016 declared a 5% reservation provision without exception to disabled in all the educational institutes. However, Suresh cannot be included as a beneficiary of the law, as it came into force in April 2017, almost a year later after his admission.

“…we want this matter to be settled early so that he does not waste more time on a career option that is practically not possible for him to pursue,” the MCI official said.

The near-blind man wrote to the MCI on August 28 calling the address his “Notice of death”, detailing his medical entrance struggle.

Suresh has been allowed to continue with the course till February 2018, when the Kalaburagi bench of Karnataka High Court will give its judgment in this case.The court had earlier allowed him to sit his first-year examination.

Suresh despite all odds continues to remain determined in fulfilling his dream of practicing medicine.