UT writes to UPSC, wants Disabilities Act implemented

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 16

The Director of the Social Welfare, Women and Child Department of the Chandigarh Administration has written to the UPSC to implement the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. It was done after city resident Himjeet Singh Bains wrote to the Director about the same. 

Himjeet, 33, is mentally challenged yet he completed his engineering from Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh in 2006. 

His father, BS Bains, says that his son has a certificate saying that he has the highest IQ in the world. He wants to appear for the administrative services and bank probationary officer exams for which he was demanding reservation. The Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 has increased the reservation for disabled persons from three to four per cent and the number of disabilities from seven to 21. It now also includes mental illness, among others. However, the UPSC and the SBI are yet to implement it and do not provide reservation for mental illness.  Having initially written to the UPSC, he was directed to take up the matter with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.  He, thus, wrote to the Director, Social Welfare Justice and Empowerment, Chandigarh, in March. The department then wrote to the UPSC in April and is waiting a decision. Similar letter has been written by Himjeet to the SBI as well.