Disabled candidate cleared UPSC 4 times, but not given service
A remarkable story of a disabled man who managed to crack the difficult civil services exams conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) four times has surfaced. Kartik Kansal's viral story, however, is more targic than adulatory, as he was not offered service despite the feat, unlike Indian Administrative Service (IAS) probationer Puja Khedkar, who is alleged to have feigned disabilities to get the coveted post.
Kansal is now a scientist at ISRO
Kansal, who is now a scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has been wheelchair-bound since he was 14 due to muscular dystrophy. He successfully passed the civil services exam in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. In the 2021 exam, he ranked 217, which was higher than the two candidates (272 and 273) who were selected. But he was not, as his condition was not included in that year's list of eligible conditions for IAS.
Kansal's condition recognized for other services, not IAS
Muscular dystrophy was, however, recognized as a qualifying condition for other services such as the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) Group A and the Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Excise), which were his second and third choices. Furthermore, in 2019 when Kansal ranked 813th, he could have been allotted a service as there were vacancies for locomotor disability and only 14 out of 15 were filled.
Medical board certifies Kansal's abilities despite condition
The medical board at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) certified that Kansal suffers from muscular weakness, with both his arms and legs affected by muscular dystrophy. The board noted that Kansal "can do manipulation with fingers with difficulty and can do mobility with motorised wheelchair." It also confirmed that he could see, hear, speak, communicate, read and write despite not being able to stand, walk or perform other physical activities.
Retired IAS officer advocates for Kansal's inclusion
Retired IAS officer, Sanjeev Gupta, took up Kansal's cause and voiced his support on social media. Gupta highlighted the injustice of Kansal's situation, stating that it was a "travesty of justice" that despite meeting all the physical requirements for the job of IAS and IRS without even using a scribe except for help in going to the toilet, he was not given any service. He questioned why functional classifications and physical requirements vary across services with similar nature of work.
Kansal's case pending in Central Administrative Tribunal
"Thankfully, since 2024 everything has been merged into one. There will be no such errors now. As per the new merged criteria too, Kartik is eligible to get IAS and true justice will be done by giving him IAS if there is a carry forward vacancy from previous years," Gupta told TOI. "This will partly undo the injustice meted out to him till now," he said.
