People's Democracy

Visually Disabled Youth not Inducted into IAS

Below we publish the text of the letter addressed by Smt Brinda Karat, member of parliament, forwarding the letter written by the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled concerning the non-induction of two visually impaired persons into the IAS despite the fact that they have cleared the civil services examinations in 2009.

I ENCLOSE a letter of request from the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled. It is extremely unfortunate that two visually disabled persons, Shri Ajit Kumar and Shri Ashish Singh Thakur,have faced blatant discrimination at the hands of the insensitive authorities of the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) denying them IAS rank in spite of their eligibility. It is a shame that two persons who have succeeded after a hard personal struggle should be denied their due on grounds of their disability.

I request you to kindly consider sympathetically the request in the enclosed letter to undo the injustice for their induction into the IAS which they are entitled to.

LETTER FROM

NATIONAL PLATFORM

You will recall that the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled had submitted a memorandum to you on April 20, 2010 when thousands of disabled persons from all over the country held a dharna at Delhi.  The memorandum had highlighted some of the pressing problems being faced by disabled persons. You were kind enough to grant an audience to the delegation that was led by Smt Brinda Karat and hear them patiently. We learnt subsequently that the memorandum had been forwarded to all the concerned departments and ministries.

You are aware of the discrimination faced by the disabled in all walks of life. We are sure you are also aware of the travails faced by two visually impaired persons, Ajit Kumar and Ashish Singh Thakur, who, having cleared the civil service examinations in 2009, were not inducted into the IAS. You will appreciate that the non-induction of both these candidates into IAS is not only a discrimination based on disability but also militates against the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities Act 1995.

Both these aspirants were forced to approach the Central Administrative Tribunal which directed the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) on October 8, 2010 to induct them within eight weeks. This direction has also not been complied with. In the meantime, it is reported, they had also written to your office seeking your intervention.

Knowing your concern for the disabled and their rights, the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled seeks your kind intervention to ensure that Shri Ajit Kumar and Shri Ashish Singh Thakur receive justice.