Persons with Disabilities: RBE No.62/2017 – Recruitment of PWDs from Open Market
No.E(NG)II/2017/RC-2/1 Policy, dated 28.06.2017
Sub: Recruitment of Persons with Disabilities from open market on the Railways – Instructions – regarding.
Ref: (i) Board’s letter No.E(NG)II/98/RC-2/8, dated 17.09.1998 (RBE No.216/1998) & E(NG)II/2015/RC-2/2, dated 16.09.2015 (RBE No.63/2015), (ii) No.E(NG)II/2011/RC-2/6, dated 21.08.2013, (iii) No.E(NG)II/2006/RC-2/13, dated 19.12.2013, (iv) No.E(NG)II/2014/RC-2/1 List, dated 14.02.2014 & E(NG)III/2014/RC-2/1 List pt., dated 30.03.2015 & 22.07.2016, (v) No.E(NG)II/2009/RC-2/14, dated 24.06.2014, (vi) No.E(NG)II/2009/RR-1/10Pt., dated 17.06.2016 (RBE No.69/2016).
1. With a view to consolidate the existing instructions concerning the subject of recruitment of persons with disabilities (PWDs) from open market and bringing them in line with the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights Full Participation) Act, 1995 and the guidelines issue by the nodal departments of Governments of India, the following instructions are issued with regards to reservation for PWDs in Various non-Gazetted posts on the Railways. These instructions shall supersede all previous instructions issued on the subject so far except those under reference.
2. All recruitment from open market in non-Gazetted categories against vacancies reserved for physically handicapped quota will be undertaken by Railway Recruitment Boards and Railway Recruitment cell respectively, through a common examination. Vacancies reserved for PWDs of Production Units and other Organizations falling within the territorial jurisdiction of the Zonal Railway will be clubbed together for the purpose of recruitment.
3. Horizontal of reservation for PWDs: Reservation for SCs/ STs/ OBCs is called vertical reservation and the reservation for PWDs is called horizontal reservation. Horizontal reservation cuts across vertical reservation (interlocking reservation) and persons selected against quota for PWDs, have to be placed in the appropriate category. viz., SCs/ STs/ OBCs/ UR, 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 PWDs and out of two PWDs appointed, one belongs to a Scheduled Caste and the other to general category then the disabled SC candidate shall be adjusted against the SC Point in the reservation roster and the general candidate against unreserved point in the relevant reservation roster. In case none of the vacancies fall on point reserved for the SCs, the disabled candidate belonging to SC shall be adjusted in future against the next available vacancy reserved for SCs.
4. Quantum of reservation: 3% of the vacancies in case of direct recruitment to non-Gazetted posts are to be reserved for PWDs of which 1% each are to be reserved for persons suffering from (i) blindness or low vision (ii) hearing impairment (iii) loco motor disability or cerebral palsy in the post identified for each disability. Only such person would be eligible for reservation who suffers from not less than 40% of relevant disability. Even while considering the case of candidate with multiple disability, the clause of not less than 40% of relevant disability has to be kept in view.
5. Definition of Disabilities:-
(i) (a) Blindness: “Blindness” refers to a condition where a person suffers from any of the following conditions, namely:
(i) total absence of sight; or
(ii) visual acuity not exceeding 6/60 or 20/200 (Snellen) in the better eye with correcting lenses; or
(iii) limitation of the field of vision subtending an angle of 20 degree or worse;
(b) Low vision: “Person with low vision” means a person with impairment of visual functioning even after treatment or standard refractive correction but who uses or is potentially capable of using vision for the planning or execution of a task with appropriate assertive device.
Hearing Impairment: “Hearing Impairment” means loss of sixty decibels or more in the better ear in the conversational range of frequencies. Hearing Impairment would also include persons who are deaf dumb.
(iii) (a) Locomotor disability: “Locomotor disability” means disability of the bones, joints or muscles leading to substantial restriction of the movement of the limbs or any form of cerebral palsy.
(b) Cerebral Palsy: “Cerebral Palsy” means a group of non-progressive conditions of a person characterized by abnormal motor control posture resulting from brain insult or injuries occurring in the prenatal, peri-natal or infant period of development.
(c) All the cases of orthopedically handicapped persons would be covered under the category of “loco motor disability or cerebral palsy”.
6. Disability Certificate: Board’s instructions as contained in letter as referred at S. No.(iii) above be followed.
7. List of Posts identified for PWDs: A consolidated list of posts have been identified suitable for PWDs and are contained in instructions issued vide S. No.(iv) of the reference.
8. Reservation in posts identified for one or two categories: If a post is identified suitable only for one category of disability, reservation for that post are to be given to persons with that disability only. Reservation of 3% shall not be reduced in such cases and total reservation in the post will be given to persons suffering from the disability 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 persons of three categories of disabilities, as far as possible, get equal representation.
9. Appointment against unreserved vacancies: In the posts identified suitable for PWDs, a person with disability cannot be denied the right to complete for appointment against unreserved vacancy. In other words, PWD can be appointed against an unreserved vacancy provided the post is identified suitable for PWD of the relevant category. However, this provision will not apply in the recruitment exercise to posts, where Physical Efficiency Test (PET) is a part of Examination process as PWDs are exempted from PET.
10. Adjustment of candidates selected on their own merit: PWDs selected on their own merit without relaxed standards along with other candidates will not be adjustment against the reserved share of vacancies.
Note: Own Merit means that candidates coming at par or above the unreserved (UR) merit cut off marks.
11. Computation of reservation: Reservation for PWDs in case of non-Gazetted posts are to be computed on the basic of total number of vacancies occurring in all non-Gazetted posts, as the case may be, although recruitment of PWDs would only be in the posts identified suitable for them.
12. Effecting reservation – Maintenance of Rosters: Railway administrations shall maintain separate 100 point reservation roster register in the format prescribed for various groups separately. Each register shall have cycles of 100 points and each cycle of 100 points shall be divided into three blocks.
(i) 1st block-Point number 1 to 33, (ii) 2nd block point no.34 to 66, and (iii) 3rd block – point No.67 to 100 points 1, 34 and 67 of the roster shall be earmarked reserved for PWDs – one point for each of the three categories of disabilities.
13. Inter se exchange and carry forward of reservation:
(a) If the nature of disabilities in an establishment is such that a person of a specific category of disability cannot be employed, the vacancies may be interchanged among the three categories.
(b) If any vacancy reserved for any category of disability cannot be filled due to non-availability of a suitable person or for any other sufficient reason, such vacancy shall not be filled and shall be carried forward as a backlog reserved vacancy to the subsequent recruitment year.
(c) In the subsequent recruitment year, that ‘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 disability is not available, it may be filled by interchange among the three categories of disability. In case, no suitable person with disability is available in the subsequent year also, the Railway administration may fill up the vacancy by appointment of a person other than a PWD. In such cases, reservation shall be carried forward for a further period up to two recruitment years where after the reservation shall lapse.
(d) Any recruitment of disabled candidate 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 relatively later carried forward reservation would be further carried forward.
14. Relaxation of standard for suitability: If sufficient number of persons with disabilities are not available on the basic of general standard to fill all the vacancies reserved for them, PWD candidates may be selected on relaxed standards provided that they are not found unfit for such posts. For this purpose, 02 (two) marks below the minimum qualifying marks for each category, viz., UR/ OBC/ SC/ ST be given a relaxation in the standard of suitability to PWDs in all recruitment from open market, in case full panel for PWDs cannot be made with the existing cut offs, as applicable.
15. Medical Examination: Irrespective of the fact that the post is reserved or unreserved, medical examination of the PWD for appointment for a post identified suitable to be held by the PWD should be done keeping in mind the disability of the candidate. In other words, in case of Medical examination of a PWD candidate for appointment to a post identified suitable to be held by person of a particular disability, the medical officer/ Board should be informed beforehand that the post is identified suitable to be held by PWD with relevant category and the candidate be than examined medically, keeping this fact in view.
16. Relaxations & Concessions:
(a) Age relaxation:
(i) Age relaxation of 10 years (15 Years for SC/ST and 13 years for OBC candidates) in upper age limit shall be allowed to PWDs in case of direct recruitment in the posts identified suitable for them, subject to the condition that maximum age of the applicant on the crucial date shall not exceed 56 years.
(ii) This age concession shall be admissible irrespective of the fact, whether the post is reserved for PWDs or not, provided the post is identified suitable for the relevant category of disability.
(iii) If a PWD is entitled to age concession by virtue of being a Central Government employee, concessions to him/her will be admissible either as a PWD or as a Central Government employee, whichever is more beneficial to him/her.
(b) Examination fee: PWDs shall be exempted from payment of examination fee and application fee. However, the clause of this exemption should be dealt in terms of stipulation made vide Board’s letter issued under RBE No.69/2016 dated 17.06.2016.
(c) Typewriting Test: PWDs who are otherwise qualified to hold clerical posts and who are certified as being unable to type by the Medical Board attached to Special Employment Exchanges for them (or by a Civil Surgeon where there is no Medical Board) may be exempted from passing the typing test.
17. Vacancy Notification: Posts identified suitable for PWDs should be notified as per the sub-category of disability, viz., LV, B, OL, OA, OAL etc. and then nature of work to be performed for a post may also be clearly mentioned in the employment notices.
18. Conduct of examination: Examination centres for PWDs be chosen and designated in such a way that they are disabled friendly having the facilities of ramp etc. seating arrangement for such candidates in general and for visually Handicapped (VH) Candidates in particular may preferably be made on the ground floor of such centres. Besides, seating arrangement for VH candidate may be made in such a way that only five or six candidates in a room i.e. one candidate in each corner and one or two in the center of the room, can be accommodated.
18.1 PWD candidates with one arm/ muscular weakness and visually impaired Candidates/ those candidates whose writing speed is affected by Cerebral palsy can avail the assistance of a Scribe for writing answers on their behalf. For this purpose they will have to suitably inform the recruiting agency in advance. In all such cases, engagement of scribes will be subject to the following conditions:-
(a) The candidates will have to arrange their own scribes own cost during the examination. Separate Admit cards be issued to the scribes accompanying the visually handicapped candidates. Admit card contain the particulars and photograph of the scribe duly signed by him/her. The invigilators on duty will verify the identity of scribe with photo & particulars printed on Admit card issued to scribe.
(b) Criteria like academic/ educational qualification, marks secured, age or other such restrictions for the scribes should not be fixed and instead, the invigilation system should be strengthened so that the candidates using scribes do not indulge in malpractices during examination.
(c) The candidates may be allowed to change the scribe even on the day of examination and also on venue by placing suitable request in writing with the recruiting body subject to completion of necessary formalities for the purpose.
(d) The Candidate availing the facility of subscribe, shall be responsible for any misconduct on the part of scribe brought by him/her
(e) Candidates availing the facility of scribe shall be responsible for any compensatory time of not less than 20 minutes per hour of the examination.
18.2 The candidates opting to avail the assistance of scribes be accommodated at one examination venue of the designated examination centres. The scribe will read out the questions to the candidates and on the candidate stating clearly answer against each question, the scribe will write/ indicate the same. An invigilator shall exclusively be posted with every such candidate who have opted to avail the assistance of a scribe. The invigilator shall have to sit alongside the scribe who will sit opposite such candidate so that conversation between the scribe and the candidate could be overheard by the invigilator who shall ensure that only the answer spelt out by the candidate are written/ indicated by the scribe on the medium used to answer.
18.3 The invigilator will ensure that the scribe makes no gesture, sounds or any other forms of communication designed to the candidate the correctness or otherwise of an answer being recorded by him. Any such attempt would entail disqualification of candidate and stringent action will be taken against both the candidates and the scribe. Conversation between the candidate and the scribe should not disturb in any way the peace in the examination hall or the other candidates seated in the examination hall/ room.
18.4 The VH candidates may be allowed to use TAILOR FRAME AND BRAIL SLATE WITH PAPER for solving arithmetic problem and they will have to bring their own TAILOR FRAME AND BRAIL SLATE WITH PAPER in the examination hall. Partially blind candidates who are able to read/ view normal Question Paper set for all the candidates and to write/ indicate the answer with the help of Magnifying Glass may be allowed to use Magnifying Glass in the examination hall but they shall not be allowed the help of a SCRIBE. Such candidates may bring their own Magnifying Glass in the examination hall. However, they shall not be provided with the Question Paper meant for VH Candidates who require the assistance of a Scribe. All one eyed candidates and VH candidates whose visual degree of disability is less than 40% shall not be considered as VH persons and the provision for engaging scribe shall not be applicable to them.
18.5 Question paper for VH candidates will not have any component of map/ graphs statistical data or diagrams/ figures/ geometrical problems etc. As regards requirement of Disability Certificate, instructions contained in Board’s letter under reference (ii) be followed.
19. Medical Examination: While sending the PWDs tor medical examination, (i) the recruiting department has to issue Medical Memos Mentioning the department, the category of post (Group ‘C’ or erstwhile Group ‘D’) along with their Grade Pay and level in the Pay Matrix and category of disability required to be examined like OL, OA, BL, OAL, OH, BH, HH, BL, LV, MW etc. Medical categories like A1, A2 etc. should NOT be mentioned on this memo. (ii) The examining Doctor will issue certificate to the effect that candidate is fit under handicapped quota under OL, OA, BL, OAL, OH etc. This certificate will not and cannot mention any medical category like A1/ A2 etc.
20. There may arise a situation where PWD candidate appointed to a post directly connected with train operations/ running of train, may not be able to perform his/her duties efficiently or it is a risk to his/her life and those of the passengers, in such a situation General Manager at their own discretion (not to be delegated further) may change the category of such candidates taking the views of the Medical Department, wherever required. While doing so the pay scale and other service benefits should not be affected adversely.
21. Liaison Officer for PWDs: Liaison Officers appointed to look after reservation matters for SCs/STs shall also work as Liaison Officers for reservation matters relating to persons with disabilities and shall ensure compliance of these instructions.
22. While conducting recruitment exercise from open market, in addition to the Employment Notices being supplied to the Employment Exchanges, Special Employment Exchanges, Vocational Rehabilitation Centers & National level Rehabilitation institutes, such notices are also to be published in Employment News. Further, recruiting agencies whether RRBs/ RRCs/ Railway Administrations shall also get the Employment Notices/ Advertisements uploaded on the websites of the Department of Empowerment of persons with Disabilities, Department of Personnel and Training, Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and any other Ministry/ Department as deemed Necessary through NIC or other means for information of all concerned. This will be in addition to, hoisting the same on the websites of the recruiting agencies concerned.
Download Railway Board Circular RBE No.62/2017
Forward reference ⇒ RBE No.149/2022,