Relief for teen amputee aspiring to be a doctor
Viraj had cleared the Maharashtra Common Entrance Tests for medical admissions and stood 13 in the PH merit list. The DMER however barred from filling up the college preference form, after the medical board certified his disability at 85 per cent. As per the rules framed by the Medical Council of India, the benefit of reservation in admissions to MBBS courses under the PH category to the person having disability between 40% to 70%.
His lawyers claimed that there was an error in the way the medical board and DMER calculated Viraj’s disability as they had not considered the fact that he uses an advanced prosthetic limb – a prosthetic leg with a hydraulic knee joint and an energy restoring foot along with silicon socket. A keen sportsman, according to his lawyers, Viraj plays cricket and had participated recently in a 500 kilometre cyclathon. “In view of the artificial limb used by Viraj, he can perform all activities as a regular person. His disability was calculated at without taking into consideration his functional disability with the artificial limb,” said advocate Pooja Thorat, counsel for Viraj, who approached the court through his father. “Despite earlier court orders to consider functional disability, the MCI is yet to modify its rules,” added the advocate.
Pune resident Viraj was 12 years old, when in 2009 on his way home from school, a drunken driver rammed into him crushing his left leg. The doctors amputated his left leg just above the knee to save his life. Viraj bounced back soon after with the aid of the prosthetic limb and physiotherapy sessions. “This incident completely changed my life and after the contribution of various doctors in correcting my disability, made it my life’s goal to pursue the MBBS course,” Viraj said in his petition to the HC. He cleared his SSC and HSC examinations and was placed in the MH-CET PH category merit list at rank 13.
Leave a Reply