SC Questions Centre on Reserved Seat Allocation for Disabled Candidates Above Cut-Off

Quick Summary

• The supreme Court of India has sought a response from the Center regarding the lack of “upward movement” for disabled candidates in exams and job placements.
• The issue concerns disabled candidates who perform above the cut-off marks for unreserved categories but continue to be confined to reserved pwd (Persons with disabilities) quotas.
• Justice Sandeep Mehta stated this practice limits opportunities for other disabled candidates with lower scores to access reserved seats, creating stagnation within the system.
• This approach was highlighted as a violation of Section 34 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act,2016.
• Section 34 mandates at least 4% reservation in government posts across all cadres for persons with benchmark disabilities.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The Supreme Court’s intervention on this matter underscores an critically important tension between meritocracy and affirmative action policies tailored toward marginalized communities, such as peopel with disabilities. While reservation policies aim to uplift disadvantaged groups, restricting high-performing candidates from upward mobility into general or unreserved quotas could inadvertently hinder equitable distribution within reserved categories.

If systemic changes are implemented based on this judgment, it could allow talented individuals among disabled groups to compete openly while preserving their original category benefits for others who may need them more urgently. This would also signal India’s growing emphasis on inclusivity and fairness under disability rights frameworks like those outlined in section 34. Ensuring compliance would likely improve representation across various government positions while addressing inefficiencies that have persisted within reservation systems.Read more: Link