1. Definition of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) [Divyangjan]

Under Section 2(r) of the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, only individuals with a disability of not less than 40% are eligible for reservation. These individuals must be certified by a Medical Board constituted by the Central or State Government. Candidates seeking benefits under this category must provide an original certificate (issued by the Competent Authority) during the recruitment process, including interviews. Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) will be required to work at any Regional Office/Branch Office as per organizational needs. The Government of India (GOI) guidelines, dated 15 January 2018, specify the disabilities that are eligible for reservation:

i) Blindness and Low Vision

• Blindness includes:
  • Total absence of sight.
  • Visual acuity less than 3/60 or 10/200 (Snellen) in the better eye, even after correction.
  • Limitation of the field of vision to an angle of less than 10 degrees.
• Low Vision means:
  • Visual acuity not exceeding 6/18 or less than 20/60 up to 3/60 or 10/200 in the better eye, even with correction.
  • Limitation of the field of vision between 40 degrees and 10 degrees.

ii) Deaf and Hard of Hearing

• Deaf: Individuals with 70 dB hearing loss in speech frequencies in both ears.
• Hard of Hearing: Individuals with 60-70 dB hearing loss in speech frequencies in both ears.

iii) Locomotor Disability (including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, and muscular dystrophy)

• Locomotor Disability: Difficulty executing movements due to musculoskeletal or nervous system disorders.
  • Leprosy Cured Persons: Individuals cured of leprosy but with residual physical challenges.
  • Cerebral Palsy: A neurological disorder affecting body movement and coordination, usually caused by brain damage before or after birth.
  • Dwarfism: A genetic condition resulting in an adult height of 4 feet 10 inches or less.
  • Muscular Dystrophy: A hereditary disease causing progressive skeletal muscle weakness and muscle death.
  • Acid Attack Victims: Individuals disfigured due to corrosive substance attacks.

iv) Autism, Intellectual Disability, Specific Learning Disability, and Mental Illness

• Speech and Language Disability: Permanent disability affecting speech due to organic or neurological causes.

• Intellectual Disability: Significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, affecting daily life and social skills.

  • Specific Learning Disabilities: Conditions that impact language processing (e.g., dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia).
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder: A neurodevelopmental condition affecting communication, relationships, and behavior.

• Mental Illness: A substantial disorder in thinking, mood, or behavior that impairs a person’s ability to meet everyday demands.

v) Chronic Neurological Conditions and Blood Disorders

• Chronic Neurological Conditions:
  • Multiple Sclerosis: A disease that damages nerve sheaths, impairing brain and spinal cord communication.
  • Parkinson’s Disease: A progressive disorder causing tremors, rigidity, and slow movement, affecting mainly older adults.
• Blood Disorders:
  • Hemophilia: An inherited disorder affecting blood clotting.
  • Thalassemia: A genetic disorder causing reduced hemoglobin production.
  • Sickle Cell Disease: A condition causing chronic anemia and tissue damage due to abnormal red blood cells.

vi) Multiple Disabilities

• Multiple Disabilities: A combination of two or more specified disabilities, including deaf-blindness, which involves severe communication, developmental, and educational challenges.