Question : Reservation to Persons with Speech and Language Disability

(a) whether it is true that no compulsory reservation has been provided to the persons with speech and language disability as per section 34 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 despite being recognized as a specified disability under it and if so, the details thereof; and
(b) whether it is also true that most Government organizations do not provide any reservation to them since this disability does not fall under the minimum reservation criteria of the above Act and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)



(a) to (b) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.


Statement referred to in reply to part (a) to (b) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 317 raised by SHRI SANJAY JADHAV: SHRIMATI JYOTSNA CHARANDAS MAHANT regarding “Reservation to Persons with Speech and Language Disability” for answer on 10.08.2021.

(a) & (b) The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 recognizes 21 specified disabilities, including Speech and Language disability. Section 34 (1) of the RPwD Act, 2016 deals with reservation in Government establishment for persons with benchmark disabilities (i.e. disability of 40% or more). As per this provision, benefit of reservation in Government jobs is applicable to following categories of benchmark disabilities:

(a) blindness and low vision 1%
(b) deaf and hard of hearing 1%
(c) locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy; 1%
(d) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness; 1%
(e) multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) including deaf-blindness.


Benefit of reservation in Government jobs is not applicable to persons with speech and language disability.

The Department of Personnel & Training, which is the nodal department for recruitment of personnel, issued a Circular on 15.01.2018 for implementation of the above provision of the RPwD Act, 2016 by the Central Government establishments.

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