Provision relating to Person with Benchmark Disability (PwBDs) – Compendium of Instructions on Reservation

Provision relating to Person with Benchmark Disability (PwBDs) – Compendium of Instructions on Reservation

(Updated on 14.10.2022)

F.No.36011/1/2022-Estt.(Res-I)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training Establishment
Estt (Reservation) Division

COMPENDIUM OF INSTRUCTIONS ON RESERVATION IN APPOINTMENTS IN POSTS/SERVICES IN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT View

1. PROVISIONS RELATING TO SCs, STs AND OBCs Click to view 

2.  PROVISIONS RELATING TO ECONOMICALLY WEAKER SECTIONS (EWS) Click to View

3. PROVISIONS RELATING TO PERSONS WITH BENCHMARK DISABILITY (PwBDs)

A. RESERVATION FOR PwDs IN DIRECT RECRUITMENT

Previous OMs on the subject

OM.No. 36035/16 /91-Estt.(SCT), dated 18.02.1997 OM.No. 36035/3/ 2004- Estt.(Res), dated 29.12.2005

With enactment of THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ACT,

2016′ from 19thApril, 2017 and notification of THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES RULES, 2017′ on 15thJune, 2017, the following instructions have been issued in line with the provisions made therein regarding reservation for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, as defined under Section 2(r) of the Act against the posts and services of the Central Government.

2. QUANTUM OF RESERVATION

2.1 In case of direct recruitment, four percent of the total number of vacancies to be filled up by direct recruitment, in the cadre strength in each group of posts

i.e. Groups A, B and C shall be reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities.

2.2 Against the posts identified for each disabilities, of which, one per cent each shall be reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities under clauses (a), (b) and (c) and one per cent, under clauses (d) and (e), unless otherwise excluded under the provisions of Para3 herein under:-

(a) Blindness and low vision;

(b) Deaf and hard of hearing;

(c) Locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy;

(d) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness;

(e) multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) including deaf-blindness

3. EXEMPTION FROM RESERVATION:

If any Ministry/Department in the Central Government considers it necessary to exempt any establishment or any cadre or cadres fully or partly from the provisions of reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities, it shall make a reference to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities giving full justification for the proposal, who having regard to the type of work carried out in any Government establishment by notification and subject to such condition, if any, as may be specified in the notification, in consultation with the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) may exempt any Establishment or any cadre(s) fully or partly from the provisions of reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities.

4. ADJUSTMENT AGAINST UNRESERVED VACANCIES::

4.1 In the category of posts which are identified suitable for persons with benchmark disabilities, a person with benchmark disability cannot be denied the right to compete for appointment by direct recruitment against an unreserved vacancy. Thus a person with benchmark disability can be appointed by direct recruitment against vacancy not specifically reserved for the persons with benchmark disability, provided the post is identified suitable for persons with benchmark disability of the relevant category.

4.2 Persons with benchmark disabilities selected without relaxed standards along with other candidates, will not be adjusted against the reserved share of vacancies. The reserved vacancies will be filled up separately from amongst the eligible candidates with benchmark disabilities which will thus comprise of candidates with benchmark disabilities who are lower in merit than the last candidate in merit list but otherwise found suitable for appointment, if necessary, by relaxed standards.

5. CERTIFICATE OF DISABILITY:

A person who wants to avail the benefit of reservation will have to submit a certificate of disability issued by a Competent Authority. Such certificate in the event of selection of such person for any post, will be subject to such verification/re-verification as may be decided by the competent authority.

6. COMPUTATION OF NUMBER OF POSTS TO BE RESERVED:

6.1 The number of posts to be reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities in case of Group C posts shall be computed on the basis of total number of vacancies in the cadre strength of Group C posts, in the establishment, although the recruitment of the persons with benchmark disabilities would only be against the category of posts identified suitable for them. The number of vacancies to be reserved for the persons with benchmark disabilities in case of direct recruitment to Group ‘C’ posts in an establishment shall be computed by taking into account the total number of vacancies arising in Group ‘C’ posts for being filled by direct recruitment in a recruitment year both in the identified and non-identified category of posts under the establishment. Since reservation, wherever applicable, for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities is provided computing total number of vacancies in the cadre strength in identified category of posts as well as unidentified category of posts, it may be possible that number of persons appointed by reservation in an identified category of post may exceed four per cent.

6.2 Reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities in Group ‘A’ or Group ‘B’ posts shall be computed on the basis of total number of vacancies occurring in direct recruitment quota in the cadre in all the Group ‘A’ posts or Group ‘B’ posts respectively, and the computation of total vacancies shall include vacancies arising in the identified and non-identified category of posts.

7. EFFECTING RESERVATION – MAINTENANCE OF ROSTERS::

7.1 Every Government establishment shall maintain group-wise a separate vacancy based 100 point vacancy based reservation roster register in the format given in Annexure for determining/effecting reservation for the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities – one each for Group ‘A’ posts filled by direct recruitment, Group ‘B’ posts filled by direct recruitment and Group ‘C’ posts filled by direct recruitment.

7.2 Each register shall have cycles of 100 points and each cycle of 100 points shall be divided into four blocks, comprising the following points:

1st Block – point No. 01 to point No. 25 2nd Block – point No. 26 to point No. 50 3rd Block – point No. 51 to point No. 75 4th Block — point No. 76 to point No.100

7.3 Points 1, 26, 51 and 76 of the roster shall be earmarked for persons with benchmark disabilities – one point each for four respective categories of disabilities. The Head of the establishment shall ensure that vacancies identified at SI. No.1, 26, 51 and 76 are earmarked for the respective categories of the persons with benchmark disabilities. However, the Head of the establishment shall decide the placement of the selected candidate in the roster register.

7.4 All the vacancies arising irrespective of vacancies reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities shall be entered in the relevant roster. If the vacancy falling at point no. 1 is not identified for the Person with Benchmark Disability or the Head of the establishment considers it desirable not to fill it up by Persons with Benchmark Disabilities or it is not possible to fill up that post by the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities for any other reason, one of the vacancies falling at any of the points from 2 to 25 shall be treated as reserved for the person with benchmark disability and filled as such.

7.5 Likewise, a vacancy falling at any of the points from 26 to 50 or from 51 to 75 or from 76 to 100 shall have to be filled by the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities. The purpose of keeping points 1, 26, 51 and 76 as reserved is to fill up the first available suitable vacancy.

7.6 There is a possibility that none of the vacancies from 1 to 25 is suitable for any category of the person with benchmark disability. In that case two vacancies from 26 to 50 shall be filled as reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities. If the vacancies from 26 to 50 are also not suitable for any category, three vacancies shall be filled as reserved from the third block containing points from 51 to 75. This means that if no vacancy can be reserved in a particular block, it shall be carried over into the next block

7.7 After all the 100 points of the roster are covered, a fresh cycle of 100 points shall start.

7.8 If the number of vacancies in a year is such as to cover only one block (say 25 vacancies) or two (say 50 vacancies), the category of the persons with benchmark disabilities should be accommodated as per the roster points. However, in case, the said vacancy is not identified for the respective category, the Head of the establishment shall decide the category on the basis of the nature of the post, the level of representation of the specific disabled category in the concerned grade/post etc.

8. INTER SE EXCHANGE AND CARRY FORWARD OF RESERVATION IN CASE OF DIRECT RECRUITMENT:

8.1 Where in any recruitment year any vacancy cannot be filled up due to non availability of a suitable person with benchmark disability or for any other sufficient reason, such vacancy shall be carried forward in the succeeding recruitment year and if in the succeeding recruitment year also suitable person with benchmark disability is not available, it may first be filled by interchange among the following four categories of disabilities, at one percent each to each category:

(A)

(a) blindness and low vision;

(B)

(b) deaf and hard of hearing;

(C)

(c)locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy;

(D)

(d) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness;

(e)multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) including deaf-blindness.

8.2 Only when there is no person with benchmark disability available for the post in that year, the employer shall fill up the vacancy by appointment of a person, other than a person with benchmark disability.

8.3 If the nature of vacancies in an establishment is such that a given category of person cannot be employed, the vacancies may be interchanged with the prior approval of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, among the above mentioned four categories.

8.4 If any vacancy reserved for any category of benchmark disability cannot be filled due to non-availability of a suitable person with that benchmark disability or, for any other sufficient reason, such vacancy shall be carried forward as a ‘backlog reserved vacancy’ to the subsequent recruitment year.

8.5 In the subsequent recruitment year the ‘backlog reserved vacancy’ shall be treated as reserved for the category of disability for which it was kept reserved in the initial year of recruitment. However, if a suitable person with that benchmark disability is not available, it may be filled by interchange among the categories of benchmark disabilities identified for reservation. In case no suitable person with benchmark disability is available for filling up the vacancy in the succeeding year also, the employer may fill up the vacancy by a person other than a person with benchmark disability. If the vacancy is filled by a person with benchmark disability of the category for which it was reserved or by a person of other category of benchmark disability by inter se exchange in the subsequent recruitment year, it will be treated to have been filled by reservation. But if the vacancy is filled by a person other than a person with benchmark disability in the subsequent recruitment year, reservation shall be carried forward for a further period upto two recruitment years whereafter the reservation shall lapse. In these two subsequent years, if situation so arises, the procedure for filling up the reserved vacancy shall be the same as followed in the first subsequent recruitment year.

8.6 The Government establishment shall interchange vacancies only if due process of recruitment viz. proper advertisement of vacancy to fill up the vacancies reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities has been complied with.

8.7 In order to ensure that cases of lapse of reservation are kept to the minimum, any recruitment of the persons with benchmark disabilities candidates shall first be counted against the additional quota brought forward from previous years, if any, in their chronological order. If candidates are not available for all the vacancies, the older carried forward reservation would be filled first and the current vacancies would be carried forward if not filled up provided that in every recruitment, the number of vacancies reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities including carried forward vacancies will be announced beforehand, for the information of all aspirants

9. HORIZONTALITY OF RESERVATION FOR PERSONS WITH BENCHMARK DISABILITIES:

9.1 Reservation for backward classes of citizens (SCs, STs and OBCs) is called vertical reservation and the reservation for categories such as persons with benchmark disabilities and ex-servicemen is called horizontal reservation. Horizontal reservation cuts across vertical reservation (in what is called interlocking reservation) and persons selected against the quota for persons with benchmark disabilities have to be placed in the appropriate category viz. SC/ST/OBC/Unreserved depending upon the category to which they belong in the roster meant for reservation of SCs/STs/OBCs. To illustrate, if in a given year there are two vacancies reserved for the persons with benchmark disabilities and out of two persons with benchmark disabilities appointed, one belongs to Scheduled Caste and the other belongs to Unreserved category, then the SC candidate with benchmark disability shall be adjusted against the SC point in the reservation roster and the Unreserved candidate with benchmark disability against unreserved point in the relevant reservation roster. In case none of the vacancies falls on point reserved for the SCs, the candidate under benchmark disability belonging to SC shall be adjusted in future against the next available vacancy reserved for SCs.

9.2 Since the persons with benchmark disabilities have to be placed in the appropriate category viz. SC/ST/OBC/Unreserved in the roster meant for reservation of SCs/STs/OBCs, the application form for the post should require the candidates applying under the quota reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities to indicate whether they belong to SC/S T/OBC or Unreserved. Thus, reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities is horizontal.

10. CERTIFICATE BY REQUISITIONING AUTHORITY

10.1 In order to ensure proper implementation of the provisions of reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities, the requisitioning authority while sending the requisition to the recruiting agency or authority as the case may be for filling up of posts shall furnish the following certificate to the recruiting agency:-

“It is certified that the requirements of the THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, 2016′ which has become effective from 19 thday of April, 2017 and the policy relating to reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities has been taken care of while sending this requisition. The vacancies reported in this requisition fall at points no ………of cycle no ……….. of 100 point reservation roster out of ………. which number of vacancies are reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities.”

10.2 At the time of initial appointment against a vacancy reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities, the appointing authority shall ensure that the candidate is eligible to get the benefit of reservation.

11. RELAXATION OF STANDARD OF SUITABILITY:

11.1 If sufficient number of candidates with benchmark disabilities candidates are not available on the basis of the general standard to fill all the vacancies reserved for them, candidates belonging to this category may be selected on relaxed standard to fill up the remaining vacancies reserved for them provided they are not found unfit for such post or posts. However, this provision shall not be used to allow any relaxation in the eligibility criteria laid down for the issuance of certificate of disability.

11.2 Same relaxed standard should be applied for all the candidates with Benchmark Disabilities whether they belong to Unreserved/SC/ST/OBC. No further relaxation of standards will be considered or admissible in favour of any candidate from any category whatsoever.

12. MEDICAL EXAMINATION:

As per Rule 10 of the Fundamental Rules, every new entrant to Government Service on initial appointment is required to produce a medical certificate of fitness issued by a competent authority. In case of medical examination of a person with benchmark disabilities for appointment to a post identified as suitable to be held by a person suffering from a particular kind of disability, the concerned Medical Officer or Board shall be informed beforehand that the post is identified suitable to be held by persons with benchmark disabilities of the relevant category and the candidate shall then be examined medically keeping this fact in view.

13.ANNUAL REPORTS REGARDING REPRESENTATION OF PERSONS WITH BENCHMARK DISABILITIES:

The Ministries/Departments shall continue to upload data on representation of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities along with data on SCs, STs, OBCs in respect of posts/services under the Central Government on the URL i.e. www.rrcps.nic.in as on 1 st January of every year. All Ministries/Departments have been provided respective usercode and password with guidelines for operating the URL.

14. MAINTENANCE OF REGISTER OF COMPLAINTS BY THE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHMENT:

14.1 Every Government establishment shall appoint a senior officer of the Department as the Grievance Redressal Officer.

14.2 The Grievance Redressal Officer shall maintain a register of complaints of persons with disabilities with the following particulars, namely:-

(a) date of complaint;

(b) name of complainant;

(c) the name of the establishment or person against whom the complaint is made;

(d) gist of the complaint;

(e) date of disposal by the Grievance Redressal Officer; and

(f) any other information.

14.3 Any person aggrieved with any matter relating to discrimination in employment against any person with disability may file a complaint with the Grievance Redressal Officer of the respective Government establishment.

14.4 Every complaint filed as per Para 14.3 above, shall be inquired into within two months of its registration and outcome thereof or action taken thereon shall be communicated to the complainant / Person with Benchmark Disability.

(DoPT O.M. No. 36035/02/2017-Estt.(Res.), dated 15.01.2018)

Annexure

Reservation Roster for persons with Benchmark Disabilities

(DoPT O.M. No. 36035/02/2017-Estt.(Res.), dated 15.01.2018)

RESERVATION FOR PwDs IN PROMOTION

The matter regarding reservation in promotion for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBDs) had been under litigation before various courts of law for quite some time, and the Hon’ble Supreme Court, in its order, dated 28.9.2021, delivered in the ‘Application for Clarification’ in the matter of ‘Siddaraju vs. State of Karnataka’, Civil Appeal No. 1567/2017, directed the Government to issue instructions on ‘Reservation in Promotion’, as provided in Section 34 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Accordingly, the following instructions have been issued for grant of reservation in promotion to PwBDs, in the posts and services of the Central Government, as defined under Section 2(r) of the said Act, notified by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD).

2. QUANTUM OF RESERVATION

2.1 In case of promotion, four per cent of the total number of vacancies in the cadre strength within Group ‘C, from Group ‘C to Group ‘B’, within Group ‘B’ and from Group ‘B’ to the lowest rung of Group ‘A’ shall be reserved for PwBDs. Reservation in promotion shall be applicable in the cadres in which the element of direct recruitment, if any, does not exceed 75%.

2.2 Against the posts identified for each disability, one per cent each shall be reserved for PwBDs under clauses (a), (b) and (c), respectively, and one per cent combined, under clauses (d) and (e) below, unless otherwise excluded under the provisions of Para 3 hereinunder; –

(a) blindness and low vision;
(b) deaf and hard of hearing;
(c) locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy;
(d) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness;
(e) multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) including deaf-blindness.

2.3 The authenticity of any certificate, issued by the competent medical authority, may be got verified/re-verified by the appointing authority at the time of appointment.

3. EXEMPTION FROM RESERVATION IN PROMOTION

3.1 Proviso to Section 20(1) of the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, states that the appropriate Government may, having regard to the type of work carried on in any establishment, by notification and subject to such conditions, if any, exempt any establishment from the provisions of this Section.

3.2 Accordingly, if any Ministry/Department in the Central Government considers it necessary to exempt any establishment or any cadre or cadres fully or partly from the provisions of reservation in promotion for PwBDs, it shall make a reference to the DEPwD, giving full justification for the proposal. The DEPwD, having regard to the type of work carried out in any Government establishment, by notification, and subject to such condition, if any, as may be specified in the notification, in consultation with the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD), may exempt any Establishment or any cadre(s), fully or partly, from the provisions of reservation for PwBDs. While doing so, Notes 1 to 9 under the Notification No.38-16/2020-DD.II, dated the 4th January, 2021, issued and as modified from time to time by the DEPwD, may kindly be kept in view

4. NO DENIAL OF PROMOTION MERELY ON THE GROUND OF DISABILITY

4.1 In terms of Section 20(3) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, no promotion shall be denied to a person merely on the ground of disability. Further, in terms of Section 20(4) of the Act, no Government establishment shall dispense with or reduce in rank an employee who acquires a disability during his/her service. As per the proviso to this sub-section, if an employee, after acquiring disability is not suitable for the post he was holding, shall be shifted to some other post with the same pay scale and service benefits. This section further provides that if it is not possible to adjust the employee against any post, he may be kept on a supernumerary post until a suitable post is available or he attains the age of superannuation, whichever is earlier. However, in case the PwBDs for whom the supernumerary post was created is eligible for next promotion to higher pay level, and it is not possible to adjust the employee against any post, a fresh creation of supernumerary post in next higher level will be required by surrendering the previously created supernumerary post at the lower level, and the proposal for the same may be submitted to the Department of Expenditure.

4.2 An employee who acquires disability, after entering into service, will be entitled to get the benefit of reservation in promotion as a PwBD. However, his seniority among PwBDs will be counted from the date of certification of his/her disability, i.e., disability of 40% or more in the categories covered under Section 34(1) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

4.3 No benefit of reservation shall be given on the basis of temporary certificate of disability

5. IDENTIFICATION OF POSTS;

5.1 The DEPwD has already identified posts suitable for being held by PwBDs and the physical requirement for all such posts, have been notified, vide their Notification No. 38-16/2020-DD-III, dated the 4th January, 2021. The posts mentioned in AnnexureC of the said notification (to be read in conjunction with Notes 1 to 9 mentioned under the main Notification, dated 4th January, 2021) shall be used by the Cadre Controlling Authorities to give effect to reservation in promotion to the PwBDs.

6. RESERVATION IN POSTS IDENTIFIED FOR ONE OR TWO CATEGORIES

6.1 If in a Ministry/Department/Organization, a post is identified suitable only for one category of disability, reservation in promotion in that post shall be given to persons with that category of benchmark disability only. However, reservation of 4% for PwBDs shall not be reduced in such cases and total reservation in the cadre will be given to PwBDs for which it has been identified. Likewise, in case the post is identified suitable for two categories of disabilities, reservation shall be distributed between persons with those categories of disabilities equally, as far as possible. It shall, however, be ensured that reservation in different posts in the establishment is distributed in such a way that the PwBDs, as far as possible, get equal/fair representation. The points used in the 100-point Roster after a gap of 25 points shall be used to give reservation. In other words, it will be given only at the points reserved for PwBDs, and not in a bunched manner.

7. ADJUSTMENT OF PwBD CANDIDATES WHO ARE IN THE ZONE OF CONSIDERATION AGAINST GENERAL VACANCY

7.1 In case of promotions by seniority-cum-fitness, if a PwBD is otherwise eligible and is in the list of candidates finally approved for promotion, he/she may be promoted against the vacancy not specifically reserved for PwBD. In other words, a PwBD cannot be denied promotion on the ground that the vacancy is not earmarked for his category

7.2 In the case of promotion by selection, PwBDs selected without relaxed standards, along with other candidates, will not be adjusted against the reserved share of vacancies. The reserved vacancies will be filled up separately from amongst the eligible candidates with benchmark disabilities who are lower in merit than the last candidate in merit list but, otherwise found suitable for appointment, if necessary, by relaxed standards.

8. RELAXATION OF STANDARD OF SUITABILITY

8.1 If sufficient number of PwBD candidates with benchmark disabilities are not available on the basis of prescribed standard to fill all the vacancies (in case of promotion through Limited Departmental Competitive Examination/Departmental Examination, etc.) reserved for them, candidates belonging to this category may be selected on relaxed standard to fill up the remaining vacancies reserved for them, provided they are not found unfit for such post or posts. However, this provision shall not be used to allow any relaxation in the eligibility criteria laid down for the issuance of certificate of benchmark disability.

8.2 The same relaxed standard should be applied for all the PwBD candidates with benchmark disabilities, irrespective of whether they belong to the Unreserved/SO/ ST/ OBC category. No further relaxation of standards will be considered or admissible in favour of any candidate from any category whatsoever.

9. COMPUTATION OF NUMBER OF VACANCIES TO BE RESERVED

9.1 Number of vacancies in a recruitment year to be reserved for PwBDs in Group ‘C, Group ‘B’ and Group ‘A’, wherever reservation in promotion for PwBD is applicable, shall be computed as 4% of the total number of vacancies in the cadre strength, although the PwBDs would be posted against the category of posts identified as suitable for them

10. EFFECTING RESERVATION – MAINTENANCE OF ROSTERS

10.1 Every Government establishment shall maintain, cadre wise and group- wise, a separate 100-point vacancy-based reservation roster/register, as in the case of direct recruitment, for determining/effecting reservation for the PwBDs in promotion. There will be separate roster / register, in each cadre in Group ‘C’, Group ‘B’ and Group ‘A’, wherever reservation in promotion for PwBD is applicable. There shall be separate roster/register for promotion and direct recruitment.

10.2 Each register shall have cycles of 100 points and each cycle of 100 points shall be divided into four blocks, comprising the following points:

1st Block – Point No. 01 to point No. 25
2nd Block – Point No. 26 to point No. 50
3rd Block – Point No. 51 to point No. 75
4th Block — Point No. 76 to point No. 100

10.3 Points 1, 26, 51 and 76 of the roster shall be earmarked for PwBDs – one point each for category under (a), (b), (c) of Para 2.2 above, respectively, and one point for category (d) and (e) conjointly. The Head of the establishment shall ensure that vacancies identified at SI. No.1, 26, 51 and 76 are earmarked for the respective categories of the PwBD. However, the Head of the Department shall decide the placement of the selected candidate in the roster/ register. In other words, the category to be appointed first will be decided by the Head of the Department based on the functional requirement.

10.4 All the vacancies in each recruitment year in a grade, arising irrespective of vacancies reserved for PwBDs, shall be entered in the relevant roster. If the vacancy falling at point no. 1 is not identified for the PwBD, or if the Head of the Department feels that it is not possible to fill up that post by the PwBDs for any other reason to be recorded in writing, one of the vacanciesfalling at any of the points from 2 to 25 shall be treated as reserved for the PwBD and filled, as such.

10.5 Likewise, one vacancy out of the total vacancies falling at points from 26 to 50 or from 51 to 75 or from 76 to 100 shall have to be filled by the PwBDs. The purpose of keeping points 1, 26, 51 and 76 as reserved is to fill up the first available suitable vacancy by the PwBD candidate of the category for which the post is earmarked.

10.6 There is a possibility that none of the vacancies from 1 to 25 is found suitable for any category of the PwBD. In that ease, two vacancies from 26 to 50 shall be filled from amongst the PwBDs. If the vacancies from 26 to 50 are also not suitable for any category, three vacancies in the third block 51 to 75 shall be filled as reserved. This means that if no vacancy can be reserved in a particular block, it shall be carried over to the next block.

10.7 After all the 100 points of the roster are covered, a fresh cycle of 100 points shall start.

10.8 If the number of vacancies in a year is such as to cover only one block (say 25 vacancies, including PwBD quota, if any) or two (say 50 vacancies, including the quota, if any), the category of the PwBDs should be accommodated as per the roster points. However, in case, the said vacancy is not identified for the respective category of disability, the Head of the Department shall decide the category on the basis of the nature of the post, the level of representation of the specific category in the grade/post concerned, etc.

11. CERTIFICATE BY REQUISITIONING/CADRE CONTROLLING AUTHORITY WHILE SENDING APPLICATION FOR SELECTION BY PROMOTIONS /DEPARTMENTAL EXAMINATION INCLUDING LIMITED COMPETITIVE DEPARTMENTAL EXAMINATION;

11.1 In order to ensure proper implementation of the provisions of reservation for PwBDs, the requisitioning/cadrecontrolling authority, while sending the requisition/proposal to the recruiting agency/DPC, as the case may be, for filling up of vacancies through promotion by selection/Departmental Examination/Limited Competitive Departmental Examination, shall furnish the following certificate to the recruiting agency/DPC:

“It is certified that the requirements of the THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, 2016 which has become effective from 19 th day of April, 2017 and Rules made thereupon, vide Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017, and the policy relating to reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities has been taken care of while sending this requisition/proposal. The vacancies reported in this requisition/proposal fall at points no………. of cycle no …………of 100-point reservation roster out of which………… number of vacancies are reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities.”

12. NOTICE OF VACANCIES FOR PROMOTION BY SELECTION

12.1 In order to ensure that PwBDs get a fair opportunity in consideration for appointment against an identified post, the following points shall be kept in view while sending the requisition notice/proposal to the recruiting agencies (SSC, UPSC etc.) and DPCs-

(i) Number of vacancies reserved for SCs, STs and each category of PwBDs should be indicated clearly.

(j) In respect of vacancies in posts identified suitable for being held by PwBD, it shall be indicated that the post is identified for that respective category of PwBDs from amongst the categories, as mentioned in (a) to

(e) of Para 2.2 above, as the case may be. Functional classification for performing the duties attached to such post(s), shall also be indicated clearly.

(k) The PwBDs belonging to the category/categories for which the post is identified shall be allowed to apply for the post advertised for being filled up by Limited Departmental Competitive Examination, even if no vacancy is reserved for them. However, they will not be allowed any relaxed standard. Such PwBD candidates will be considered for selection for appointment to the post by general standards of merit.

(l) lt shall also be indicated that persons with valid certificate of benchmark disability shall alone be eligible for the benefit of reservation. However, no benefit of reservation shall be given on the basis of temporary certificate of disability.

13.ZONE OF CONSIDERATION. INTERSE EXCHANGE AND CARRY FORWARD OF RESERVATION IN CASE OF PROMOTION

13.1 While filling up the reserved vacancies by promotion by selection, those PwBD candidates who are within the normal zone of consideration shall be considered for promotion. However, if adequate number of PwBD candidates of the respective category are not available within the normal zone, the zone of consideration may be extended to five times the number of vacancies and the PwBD candidate falling within the extended zone may be considered for promotion. In the event of non availability of candidates even in the extended zone, the vacancy shall not be filled and be carried forward to the subsequent year. In the subsequent year, if a PwBD of the required category is not available, the reservation can be exchanged with the other categories, so that post can be filled by a person with other category of disability, if possible. If a PwBD candidate of other category is within the zone of consideration and within the number of vacemcies available, he cannot be denied promotion on the grounds of disability. If it is not possible to fill up the post by reservation even in the 2nd year, the post may be filled by a person other than a PwBD, and the reservation shall be carried forward for two subsequent recruitment years, whereafter it shall lapse.

13.2 While filling up vacancies by promotion by non-selection, the eligible candidates with benchmark disabilities within the normal zone of consideration shall be considered for promotionagainst the reserved vacancies. In case no eligible candidate of the respective category of disability is available in the normal zone of consideration, additional PwBD candidates of respective category to the extent required shall be considered by going down the seniority list, provided they are eligible, and that the post is identified for them. In the event of non-availability of PwBD candidates for promotion even in the extended zone, the vacancy shall not be filled and shall be carried forward. In the subsequent year; if PwBD of respective category is not available, the same can be exchanged with other categories of disabilities identified for it. If it is not possible to fill up the vacancy by reservation even by exchange, the reservation shall be carried forward for two subsequent recruitment years, where-after it shall lapse.

13.3 In order to ensure that cases of lapse of reservation are kept to the minimum, any recruitment of the PwBD candidates shall first be counted against the vacant posts brought forward from previous years, if any, in the chronological order. If candidates are not available for all the vacancies, the older carried-forward posts shall be filled first, and the current vacancies shall be carried forward, if not filled up, provided that in every recruitment, the number of vacancies reserved for PwBD, including the carried forward vacancies, shall be announced beforehand, for the information of all aspirants.

14. HORIZONTALITY OF RESERVATION FOR PERSONS WITH BENCHMARK DISABILITIES

14.1 Reservation for backward classes of citizens (SCs, STs and OBCs) is called ‘vertical’ reservation and the reservation for categories such as PwBDs and ex- servicemen is called ‘horizontal’ reservation. Horizontal reservation cuts across vertical reservation (in what is called interlocking reservation) and persons selected/promoted against the quota for PwBDs have to be placed in the appropriate category viz. SC/ST/OBC/Unreserved, depending upon the category to which they belong in the foster meant for reservation of SCs/STs/OBCs. To illustrate, if in a given year, there are two vacancies reserved for the PwBDs, and out of two PwBDs promoted, one belongs to Scheduled Caste and the other belongs to Unreserved, the SC candidate with benchmark disability shall be adjusted against the SC point in the reservation roster and the Unreserved candidate with benchmark disability against the unreserved point in the relevant roster. In ease none of the vacancies falls on point reserved for the SCs, the candidate under benchmark disability belonging to SC shall be adjusted in future against the next available vacancy reserved for SC.

14.2 Since the PwBDs have to be placed in the appropriate category, viz. SC/ST/OBC/Unreserved in the roster meant for reservation of SCs/STs/OBCs, the application form (in respect of Departmental examination for promotion) for the post should require the candidates applying under the quota reserved for PwBDs to indicate whether they belong to SC/ST/OBC or unreserved.

15.ANNUAL REPORTS REGARDING REPRESENTATION OF PERSONS WITH BENCHMARK DISABILITIES

15.1 The Ministries/Departments shall continue to upload data on promotion of PwBDs, along with data on representation/ direct recruitment of PwBDs in respect of posts/services under the Central Government on the URL i.e. www.rrcps.nic.in, as on 1st January of every year. All Ministries/Departments have been provided respective user code and password with guidelines for operating the URL.

16. LIAISON OFFICER FOR PERSONS WITH BENCHMARK DISABILITIES:

16.1 Liaison Officers appointed to look after reservation matters for SCs/STs shall also work as Liaison Officers for reservation matters relating to PwBDs and shall ensure compliance of instructions, as contained in DoPT OM No.43011/153/2010-Estt (Res), dated 4.1.2013.

17. MAINTENANCE OF REGISTER OF COMPLAINTS BY THE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHMENT

17.1 Every Government establishment shall appoint a senior officer of the Department as the Grievance Redressal Officer.

17.2 The Grievance Redressal Officer shall maintain a register of complaints of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities with the following particulars, namely: –

(a) date of complaint;

(b) name of complainant;

(c) the name of the establishment or person against whom the complaint is made;

(d) gist of the complaint;

(e) date of disposal by the Grievance Redressal Officer; and any other information.

17.3 Any person aggrieved with any matter relating to discrimination in promotion, may file a complaint with the Grievance Redressal Officer of the respective Government establishment.

17.4 Every complaint filed, shall be inquired into within two months of its registration, and outcome thereof or action taken thereon, shall be communicated to the complainant / PwBD.

(O.M. No. 36012/1/2020-Estt.(Res.-II), dated 17.05.2022)

C. EXEMPTION FROM PAYMENT OF EXAMINATION FEE AND APPLICATION FEE IN RESPECT OF PwBD

Persons with Benchmark Disabilities shall continue to be exempted from payment of application fee and examination fee, prescribed in respect of competitive examinations held by the Staff Selection Commission, the Union Public Service Commission, etc, for recruitment to various posts. This exemption shall be available only to such persons who would otherwise be eligible for appointment to the post on the basis of standards of medical fitness prescribed for that post (including any concession specifically extended to the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) and who enclose with the application form, necessary certificate from a competent authority in support of their claim of disability.

For detailed instructions OM No. 36035/2/2017-Estt.(Res), dated 23.8.2019, may be referred.

D. EXEMPTION FROM THE ROUTINE EXERCISE OF TRANSFER/ ROTATIONAL TRANSFER IN RESPECT OF CARE GIVER FOR PwBD

With the enactment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 on April 17, 2017, instructions have been issued in supersession of the OMs dated June 6, 2014, November17, 2014 and January 5, 2016 with regard to the eligibility for seeking exemption from routine exercise of transfer/rotational transfer in respect of care-giver of PwBDs:-

(i) A Government employee who is a care-giver of dependent daughter/ son/ parents/ spouse/ brother/ sister with Specified Disability, as certified by the certifying authority as a PwBD as defined under Section 2(r) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 may be exempted from the routine exercise of transfer/rotational transfer subject to the administrative constraints.

(ii) The term “Specified Disability” as defined in the Schedule to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, covers (I) Locomotor disability including leprosy cured person, cerebral palsy, dwarfism, muscular dystrophy and Acid attack victims (ii) Blindness (iii) Low-vision (iv) Deaf (v) Hard of hearing (vi) Speech and language disabilities (vii) Intellectual disability including specific learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (viii) Mental illness (ix) Disability caused due to: (a) Neurological conditions such as Multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease (b) Blood disorder- Haemophilia, Thalassemia and Sickle cell disease and (x) Multiple disabilities (more than one of the above specified disabilities) including deaf blindness and any other category of disabilities as may be notified by the Central Government.

(iii) The term ‘Specified Disability’ as defined herein is applicable as grounds only for the purpose of seeking exemption from routine transfer! rotational transfer by a Government employee, who is a care-giver of dependent daughter/son/parents/spouse/brother/sister.

OM No.F. No. 42011/3/2014-Estt.(Res) dated 8.10.2018

E FACILITIES TO BE PROVIDED TO THE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES FOR EFFICIENT PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES

As regards certain facilities in respect of Persons with Disabilities who are already employed in the Government for efficient performance of their duties like identification of jobs, post recruitment and pre-promotion training, providing aids/assistive devices, accessibility and barrier free environment at work place, preference in Government accommodation, Grievance redressal, Special Casual Leave and Preference in transfer/posting, detailed guidelines have been issued to all the Ministries/Departments of the Government of India to bring the instructions to the notice of all appointing authorities under their control, for information and compliance. The Department of Public Enterprises has also been requested to give effect the above guidelines in the all the Central Public Sector Enterprises.

For detailed instructions OM No. 36035/3/2013-Estt.(Res), dated 31.3.2014, may be referred.

F. RESERVATION FOR PERSONS WITH BENCHMARK DISABILITIES -CLARIFICATION WITH REGARD TO THE CONCEPT OF OWN MERIT.

Para 4.2 of the OM of even number, dated 15.1.2018 and Para 7.2 of OM No. 36012/1/2020-Estt(Res.-II), dated 17.5.2022, inter alia, state that the Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) selected without relaxed standard, along with other unreserved candidates, will not be adjusted against the vacancies reserved for them and that the vacancies reserved for PwBDs will be filled up separately from amongst the eligible PwBD candidates who are lower in merit than the last unreserved candidate in merit list but otherwise found suitable for appointment, if necessary, by relaxed standard.

2. Queries have been received in this Department, from time to time, on the following three aspects:-

(i) whether PwBD candidates who have qualified on their own merit without any relaxed standard should be appointed against the vacancies not reserved for PwBDs, i.e., against the unreserved vacancies which will be in addition to the vacancies earmarked for PwBD category candidates;

(ii) whether the facility of a scribe availed by a PwBD candidate, along with the compensatory time, shall be treated as relaxed standard; and

(iii) whether the disability a PwBD candidate is suffering from, shall be treated as relaxation in medical standard, which will disable him from being treated as own merit category.

3. In this connection, it is also pertinent to mention that this Department had constituted a Committee which deliberated upon the above three aspects, particularly in respect of Civil Services Examination (CSE), and recommended, inter-alia, the following: –

(i) The ‘own merit’ concept for PwBD category candidates should be implemented in CSE, in accordance with Establishment (Reservation) Division’s OM No.36035/2/2017-Estt(Res), dated 15.01.2018.

(ii) The facility of scribe, extra-time and relaxation in medical standards available to PwBD category candidates should not be treated as ‘relaxed standard’.

4. Accordingly, the following clarifications are issued: –

(i) In line with the spirit of the O.M. No.36035/2/2017- Estt(Res.), dated 15.1.2018, and O.M. No.36012/1/2020- Estt(Res-II), dated 17.5.2022 on the subject, the concept of own merit for PwBD shall be implemented in all direct recruitment examinations, including the CSE and promotions, wherever applicable. In other words, PwBD category candidates selected without relaxed standard, along with other unreserved candidates, will not be adjusted against the reserved share of vacancies. The reserved vacancies will be filled up separately from amongst the eligible candidates with benchmark disabilities, who are lower in merit than the last unreserved candidate in general merit list, but otherwise found suitable for appointment, if necessary, by relaxed standards.

(ii) In accordance with Para 3 of the OM No.29-6/2019-DDIII, dated 10.8.2022, issued by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, the facility of scribe, along with compensatory time shall not be treated as relaxed standard. DoPT, in agreement with this provision, reiterates that the facility of scribe taken by a PwBD candidate, along with compensatory time, shall not be treated as relaxed standard.

(iii) In terms of Corrigendum No. 34-02/2015/DD-III(Pt.), dated 08.02.2019, the phrase ‘extra time or additional time’ is required to be replaced by the phrase ‘compensatory time’.

(iv) The spirit of the term ‘own merit’ will get defeated if the disability, a person is suffering from, is treated as relaxed medical standard, as no PwBD will get the benefit of the term ‘own merit’ as stipulated in the OMs, dated 15.1.2018 and 17.5.2022 in such a scenario. Accordingly, it is clarified that disability of a person, which he is suffering from, shall not be treated as relaxed standard in medical fitness test for the purpose of ‘own merit’.

(OM No. 36035/02/20 17-Estt(Res) dated 27.9.2022)