Amidst controversy surrounding trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar’s alleged misuse of the disability quota, another UPSC candidate is making headlines.
Kartik Kansal, an ISRO scientist with muscular dystrophy, has cleared the UPSC exam four times but has not been assigned any service due to his disability.
Who is Kartik Kansal?
Kartik Kansal, from Roorkee, Uttarakhand, has been using a wheelchair since he was 14 because of muscular dystrophy. Despite this challenge, he has excelled academically and professionally. He holds a B.Tech degree in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Roorkee and is currently employed as a scientist at ISRO.
Kartik Kansal UPSC Exam Four Times
Kansal has successfully passed the UPSC Civil Service Examination four times— in 2019 with a rank of 813, in 2021 with a rank of 271, in 2022 with a rank of 784, and in 2023 with a rank of 829. Despite his repeated successes, he has not been allocated any service due to his disability.
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Why was Kartik Kansal not selected in any service?
Kartik Kansal’s disability certificate initially indicated a 60% disability, but an AIIMS board examination later confirmed it as 90%.
The Union Public Service Commission had listed muscular dystrophy as a condition under which candidates could be considered for the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) Group A and the Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Excise). Kansal had selected these services in his preference list, yet he was not appointed.
Selection Not Made Despite Vacancies
In 2019, Kansal could have been assigned a service with his rank of 813. That year, there were 15 vacancies designated for locomotor disability, with 14 positions filled.
In 2021, only 4 out of 7 available positions in the locomotor disability category were filled. Kansal, being first in this category, was not appointed, despite his top rank and eligibility for the IAS. At that time, UPSC did not include muscular dystrophy in the service conditions for IAS candidates.
Case Pending in CAT
Kartik Kansal is currently pursuing his case at the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). The case is ongoing due to issues related to his functional classification and physical requirements as stated in the UPSC 2021 notification.
Although Kansal applied for a specific service, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) informed him that his functional classification and physical requirements did not meet the necessary criteria for the service.
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