Medical rule is no respecter of merit Bageshree S.
Raman Kumar was disqualified on grounds of handicap -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am not asking for reservation. I am just asking for the right to compete on a par with others. I can make a difference by being part of the bureaucracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangalore: Raman Kumar belongs to an unusual category of persons. While a relatively mild handicap has blocked his entry into the Indian Civil Services, he does not qualify under the disability quota either. Mr. Kumar appeared for the Indian Engineering Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in 2002 and got an all-India ranking of 29, which should have ensured him a plum posting but for a disqualifying clause in the recruitment rules. According to the UPSC medical examination criteria, if a candidate has a normal eyesight of 6/9 in one eye and 6/12 in the other, she or he should apply in the general category. If the eyesight is poor (less than 6/60 in one and 6/36 in the other), the candidate can apply in the physically challenged category and is entitled to reservation. But those like Mr. Kumar, who fall in the middle with eyesight between 6/36 and 6/12 get disqualified under this inexplicable rule. Raman holds a B.Tech. degree in Civil Engineering and an M.Tech. in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He is now working for a Bangalore-based multinational. At no point, he has had any problem with his eyesight. For the past four years, Mr. Kumar has fought a one-man campaign against this recruitment rule. He has moved the Supreme Court and written to various ministries, the President and the Prime Minister. His questions have not been answered. The last communication he received from the UPSC (in March 2005) simply repeats what he already knows there is no such category as mild handicap. "I am not asking for reservation. I am just asking for the right to compete on a par with others. How can I be denied that," asks Mr. Kumar. According to an official in the Railway Ministry, which is in charge of medical examination of engineering service candidates, there is no proposal to review this rule "as of now," though there are "many such cases." Mr. Kumar's case was forwarded to the Health Ministry and a review committee set up. But nothing came of it. At a time when civil service is losing its sheen for youth, Mr. Kumar believes he can "make a difference" by being part of the bureaucracy. That is why he is doggedly pursuing his case, though the prospects in his current job are promising. He hopes that others who have been denied an opportunity on similar grounds will come together to launch a united campaign. He can be contacted on [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Truly, Have a wonderful day ahead! Amit Bhatt Windows Live Messenger: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Skype: amitbhattindia Mob: +91 935-006-3109 "Success lies not in the result, but in the effort" To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
