News

Volume 3 Issue 11 - June 01, 2005

Four disabled candidates qualify C.S.E, 2004; DRG says it’s just 0.94 against 3% quota

DNIS News Network- The Union Public Service Commission (U.P.S.C.) has selected only four disabled candidates for the coveted Civil Services for the year 2004. The four candidates - three in the general category and one in the Scheduled Caste quota - are among 422 successful candidates.

Though the development offers a positive hint for persons with disability as well as stakeholders in the sector, who fought hard to get implemented the three per cent reservation mandated in The Persons With Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, it is far from full implementation of that quota.

Of the total 422 seats, 12 should have gone to candidates with disabilities. The intake is less than one per cent. Reacting to this, Disabled Rights Group (D.R.G.) has expressed concern. In January 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had ordered that 3% reservation should be adhered to in Civil Services for persons with disabilities.

The decision to open the top posts in the Civil Services to persons with disability was taken by the Prime Minister after a disabled candidate belonging to Scheduled Caste community, who had qualified for the Indian Revenue Service (I.R.S.) in Civil Services Exams 2002, but was not allocated any post/service because of his disability, petitioned him. M. Satish approached the Prime Minister on 13 October 2004. After an enquiry, the Government cleared his appointment.

What is also disconcerting about this year’s result is that none of the four candidates with disabilities have been selected in the Indian Administrative Services and Indian Foreign Services. They have been selected for Central Services. To ensure that the high pitch campaign for getting the three per cent reservation implemented does not go vain, D.R.G. has decided to send a representation to officials concerned to express concern over the non-fulfillment of the minimum number of reserved seats, and absence of any disabled candidate from the top services.