The Allahabad High Court, Lucknow Bench, has ruled in favour of a disabled NEET candidate, directing that he be granted the reservation benefits available under law. Justice Pankaj Bhatia delivered the judgment on 7 August 2025, stating that a Unique Disability ID (UDID) certificate issued under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 must prevail over reassessments by medical boards.
Background of the Case
The petitioner, Maaz Ahmad, suffers from a locomotor disability certified at 70% by the Chief Medical Officer, Bahraich. He was issued a UDID card in 2023, recognising him as a "person with benchmark disability." After qualifying the NEET-UG 2025 exam with All India Rank 997 in the PwBD category, Ahmad applied for counselling in Uttar Pradesh. However, when examined at Banaras Hindu University’s designated medical board, his disability was reassessed at only 31%, which placed him outside the 40% threshold required for reservation.
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Legal Arguments and Precedents
Ahmad challenged this reassessment, arguing that it undermined his valid UDID certificate. His counsel relied on recent Supreme Court rulings, including Om Rathod v. DGHS (2024), which held that disability rights are a matter of entitlement, not charity. The apex court had earlier clarified that functional assessment should determine a candidate’s ability to pursue medical studies, rather than rigid percentage-based calculations.
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Delivering the verdict, Justice Bhatia echoed the Supreme Court’s stance:
"The disability of a person is a reflection on the inaccessibility of society and not a comment upon the individual."
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The court emphasised that functional competency, not mere quantification, must guide eligibility.
The bench held that since the petitioner was declared functionally fit to study medicine, his UDID certificate would govern reservation benefits. Accordingly, the court directed the Director General of Medical Education to ensure Ahmad’s candidature is uploaded and considered during NEET counselling.
Case Title: Maaz Ahmad vs Union of India & Others
Case Number: Writ – C No. 7585 of 2025
