Even as an ISRO scientist suffering from muscular dystrophy, Kartik Kansal has managed to do the impossible: clear the UPSC Civil Services Examination not once or twice but four times. But like all his feats, he was denied a service position every time.

Kartik, who was wheelchair-bound due to muscular dystrophy since the age of 14, did his mechanical engineering from IIT Roorkee. He is presently working as a scientist in ISRO. The following are the ranks that he secured in UPSC CSE: 813 in 2019, 271 in 2021, 784 in 2022, and 829 in 2023. Though he has never been allotted service post.

Despite securing a good rank of 271 in 2021 and being the first candidate to be selected in the locomotor disability category, Kartik was not allotted any service position in 2021. Instead, candidates at rank 272 and 273 were allotted IAS. This happened because muscular dystrophy was missing in the list of conditions in the functional classification eligible for IAS. Instead, Kartik was eligible for Indian Revenue Service Group A and Indian Revenue Service, Customs and Excise, which were his second and third choices respectively.

The UPSC Civil Services Exam, 2021 notification had reserved 22 out of the total 712 posts for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, PwBD. Of these six posts were of locomotor disabilities which includes cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy.

Added to this is the provision for reservation to the PwBD and other prerequisites in service allotment, which includes writing and visual capabilities as certified by a medical board. Though Kartik’s disability certificate mentioned that he had a 60% disability, the medical board at AIIMS certified him to have 90% muscular dystrophy. The board accepted that he had severe physical disabilities but confirmed that he was fit for the requirements related to seeing, hearing, speaking, communicating, reading, and writing, which were needed in IRS posts.

He received a reply from the central grievance redressal portal that no matching services were found for him based on his rank after he fulfilled all the physical requirement standards set by the posts of IAS and IRS.

Retired IAS officer Sanjeev Gupta has taken up Kartik’s cause, pointing out inconsistencies in functional classifications and physical requirements across a host of services. Gupta said, “There should be one criterion for all posts of service. The criterion has been merged since 2024, and hence Kartik is eligible for an IAS post.”.

Kartik has finally approached CAT after DoPT refused to give him any service allotment. He still nurses hopes of getting justice, and CAT is likely to consider his petition next month. The case may turn out to be a trendsetter for treating all candidates with disabilities fairly, and for providing equal opportunities to all.