New IndPress
Mangalore, Aug 19: For the first time in its history, Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) has opened its doors for the differently abled persons.
The Public Service Commission formed under the provisions of the Constitution of India in 1951 has reserved three per cent of the existing vacancies for the physically challenged and will select them on the basis of both competitive examinations and personality test scheduled in September and November.
The State Government set the ball rolling as early as in August 2005 by amending the cadre and recruitment rules in order to recruit the physically challenged persons. The government notified the amendment in the gazette and made it available for public on August 17.
After receiving no objections or suggestions, the government identified physically challenged persons with disabilities like blindness, leprosy cured, hearing impairment, locomotor disability and mental retardation as eligible to appear before the preliminary examinations for the post of Gazetted probationers.
KPSC Chairman Dr H Krishna when contacted said eligible candidates will be recruited for 54 posts in Group ‘A and 47 posts in Group ‘B. Posts reserved for disabled persons may not exceed more than 13, he said.
KPSC is the first commission to reserve posts under rural, Kannada medium and now for disabled persons.
Though normal candidates can write the examinations at any one of the centres in Mysore, Belgaum or Gulbarga, the choice of centre has been restricted for the physically challenged persons. All candidates with disabilities must appear before the examination centre in Bangalore, a day in advance to the scheduled date.
“The choice has been restricted to Bangalore for various reasons like helping KPSC determine whether the severity of the disability is within the guidelines or whether the candidates need external help like the service of writers, Dr H Krishna informs.
To charges that the KPSC has been selective and ignored other disabilities KPSC chairman said the decision of selecting the different disabilities wrested with the government. The government may add or remove certain disabilities depending on demand, he added.