Jobs for acid attack victims, ones with mental disability – Economic Times

NEW DELHI: The Centre has for the first time opened up government jobs for people with mental illness, learning and intellectual disability and autism as well as victims of acid attacks.

Over two years after the enactment of the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act in April 2017, raising reservation in government jobs and educational institutions from 3% to 4% and the number of benchmark disabilities from seven to 21, central ministries have finally identified positions for the differently abled under the new rules.

The jobs are in Groups A, B and C across disciplines. These include roles in public sector undertakings like civil engineer, architect, town planner and in ministries like multitasking staff and protocol officer.

A directive from the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities (DEPwD) in August asked the ministries to identify the posts and then advertise for filling them up. An in-house expert committee identified the posts that could be opened to people with mental illnesses, cerebral palsy, dwarfism and muscular dystrophy.

This is the first step towards hiring differently abled in the government and removing the stigma around mental illness and other disabilities. Advertisements would be floated when the posts fall vacant, a senior (DEPwd) official told ET, refusing to be identified.

India had started reserving government jobs for the differently abled in 1977. They were, however, eligible for only Group C and D posts till 1995 when the number of disabilities was increased from three to seven and the reservation was extended to all groups A, B, C and D.

In case of acid attack victims, the Supreme Court had asked the government to identify this as a disability and reserve jobs.

In 2016, the government had moved to honour its international commitments and introduced a bill increasing the number of benchmark disabilities from seven to 21.

After enactment in 2017, the government worked out the specifics in January 2018. Intra-ministerial committees were formed in November and December 2018.

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Jobs for acid attack victims, ones with mental disability - Economic Times