Irregularities in hiring PwBD in Indian Railways sorted out

Following protests by many ‘Divyangjan’ against the irregularities in filling up the posts reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) in the recent Level-1 recruitment drive of the Indian Railways, the qualified PwBD candidates will now be appointed on the basis of their merit/turn. They will be appointed in their respective Railway zones according to the vacancies notified for the different classes of ‘Divyangjan’. Unfilled vacancies, if any, will not be filled by any non-PwBD candidates.

Last year, the Indian Railways had issued a centralised recruitment notification announcing about 63,000 posts in various zones. This notification also included posts for persons with benchmark disabilities (PwBD). Apparently four per cent seats were reserved for PwBD categories as per the revised PwBD Act and an additional notification was issued inviting applications from candidates. One per cent of vacancies was distributed amongst the four PwBD categories, which took the number of posts reserved for PwBD to about 2500.

However, the complaint by the protesting PwDs or persons with disabilities (Divyangjan) was pertaining to the revision in the vacancy percentage and the specific grievances of some PwD candidates in certain Railway zones with regard to the qualifying marks and call for document verification.

With five written complaints presented before the Court of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPWD), a meeting was arranged with the senior Railway Board officials and Ministry of Social Justice.

In keeping with the Indian Railways commitment to persons with benchmark disabilities (PwBD), the matter was heard and it has been decided that only the qualified PwBD candidates will be hired on the basis of their merit/turn in their respective zones, to fill the vacancies notified for various classes of Divyangjan. The vacancies that remain unfilled will not be filled by any non-PwBD candidates. If, for some reason, some positions remain unfulfilled, they will be carried over to the next recruitment cycle. The positions as per the categories and qualifying marks/cutoffs for each zone will be displayed on the relevant websites.