News

Volume 3 Issue 8 - April 15, 2005

N.C.P.E.D.P. petitions for unlimited attempts for disabled candidates

DNIS News Network - After tasting success in the issue of raising reservations in the Civil Services, disabled people are now trying to increase the number of attempts allowed for candidates to appear for examinations.

Recently, a long-standing issue -- that of discrimination against disabled people in the Civil Services Examinations -- has been partially resolved. With repeated pressure, the Government has extended reservations for disabled people in the civil services. This, however, is not of much use since they are limited by the number of attempts prescribed for them.

General candidates who appear for the Civil Services Examination are allowed four attempts at the examination till they attain 30 years of age. O.B.C. candidates are allowed a maximum of seven attempts up to a maximum of 33 years of age; S.C./S.T. candidates are allowed unlimited attempts up to 35 years of age. Disabled candidates have been allowed age relaxation up to 10 years, but are allowed only four attempts. Therefore, while candidates in the disabled category have been given the benefit of relaxation of the upper age limit, they remain constrained by the limited number of attempts. Hence, a vast majority of disabled people cannot avail of the extended reservations.

National Centre for Promotion of Employment of Disabled People (N.C.P.E.D.P.) has sent a petition to the Home Minister Shivraj Patil, asking him to intervene in the matter and increase the number of attempts allowed for a disabled candidate and, if possible, allow disabled people unlimited attempts like in the case of S.C./S.T. candidates.