Centre has earmarked government jobs for differently abled candidates with learning disabilities and victims of acid attacks, The Economic Times reported.
The latest move comes nine months after the enactment of Right of Persons with Disabilities Act.
Under the latest rule, job reservation for differently abled candidates has been increased from 3% to 4% which will also include persons with autism, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, specific learning disabilities and acid attack victims.
The department of personnel and training (DoPT) has framed rules for reserving, advertising and filling up of government vacancies across all groups and directed all ministries to follow them starting this year.
Indian Express
The office memorandum dated January 15, according to Economic Times, specifies 1% reservation for differently abled with low vision and blindness, another 1% for deaf and hard of hearing, 1% for locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy and 1% for autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness.
In 2016, the government introduced a bill increasing the number of disabilities from seven to 21. After the enactment in 2017, government has worked out the specifics in January 2018.
Disability right activists have hailed the move calling it “a paradigm shift for India”.
Speaking with ET, activist Javed Abidi said,” This is the first time we are including intellectual disabilities and going beyond the traditional definition of disability.”
