Mumbai: HC directs LD student be admitted to vet science course

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court (HC) on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to admit a student with a learning disability in the veterinary science degree course. The student has been diagnosed with dysgraphia – a neurological condition and learning difference in which someone has difficulty with writing for their age level.

A division bench of Justices Nitin Sambre and Sharmila Deshmukh directed the respondents – Union of India, Veterinary Council of India, the Maharashtra government and Maharashtra Animal And Fishery Science University – to grant admission to the petitioner under the person with disability (PWD) quota. A detailed order copy is awaited.

The HC was hearing a petition filed by a student praying that the respondents be directed to consider him eligible for admission in the Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry Degree Course under the PWD quota. According to his counsel VM Thorat, the petitioner was born on Sep 15, 2004, as a healthy child and was pursuing his school education routinely. On Dec 19, 2017, he was diagnosed with dysgraphia, having very superior intellectual functioning. Based on the disability certificate, the authority concerned issued a unique disability ID stating 40% disability.

Since he wanted to pursue a veterinary science degree course he appeared for the NEET in May 2022 under OBC and PWD categories and secured 143 marks out of 720. In Oct, the petitioner approached the medical board as per the brochure issued by the respondents. After examining him, a certificate was issued on Oct 10, declaring him a person having intellectual disability at 40% and saying that he is eligible to pursue medical education and also claim PWD reservation.

However, as per the provisional merit list displayed on Nov 18 on the website of the respondent university, the petitioner's name came to be figured at serial number 113 under the category of disqualified candidates. He raised his grievances before the authorities which were rejected only because “he belongs to the intellectually disabled category”. Hence, he approached the HC.