'Wanted to prove people like me can do it': Disabled candidate Kartik Kansal, who cleared UPSC 4 times, denied service

IAS officer Puja Khedkar has recently gained attention for a series of controversies¡ª from exceeding permissible exam attempts by changing her identity to obtaining three disability certificates. Amidst this, another significant story has surfaced: that of Kartik Kansal, a candidate with muscular dystrophy, who despite clearing the UPSC four times, has been denied any service.

Kartik Kansal studied mechanical engineering from IIT Roorkee and is now a scientist at ISRO for which he was selected through all-India central recruitment.

The 28-year-old who hails from Uttarakhand, has cleared the civil services examination four times¡ªranking 813 in 2019, 271 in 2021, 784 in 2022, and 829 in 2023.

Also read: UPSC CSE Success: Savita Pradhan's Story From Surviving Domestic Violence To Cracking CSE

Despite these impressive achievements, Kansal, who has been wheelchair-bound since the age of 12 due to muscular dystrophy, has been denied any service.

Muscular dystrophy refers to genetic disorders characterised by progressive weakness and degeneration of the muscles that control movement.

Kansal's journey is one of resilience because, after his diagnosis, and as his muscles began to weaken, he has to teach himself how to write again.

Kartik Kansal/ India Today

In 2021, even without the disability quota, his rank of 271 should have secured him an IAS position, since those ranked 272 and 273 got a position.

However, muscular dystrophy was not included in the list of conditions eligible for IAS at that time.

The medical board at AIIMS certified that Kansal had muscular weakness affecting both his arms and legs. While the board noted that he could manage tasks with difficulty and use a motorised wheelchair, muscular dystrophy was not considered eligible for IAS, despite persons with similar physical impairments being deemed eligible.

Kartik Kansal

His original disability certificate put his level of disability at 60%, but the AIIMS medical board assessed it at 90%.

Sanjeev Gupta, a retired IAS officer, supported Kansal, tweeting that it was a travesty of justice that Kansal, who wrote the civil services exams without even using a scribe except for help in going to the toilet, and who met all the physical requirements for IAS and IRS, was not given any service.

When Kansal sought the reason for his rejection through the central portal for grievance redressal, the reply stated, "PWBD candidates are allocated service as per the functional classification and physical requirements prescribed by different cadre controlling authorities. There were no matching services at your turn as per your rank."

Kartik Kansal

This explanation raises critical questions about the absence of consistency in functional classifications and physical requirements across services. Kansal pointed out the inconsistency, asking, "If cerebral palsy is allowed for IAS, why not muscular dystrophy?"

Howeber, a recent change in 2024 has merged all classifications, which would make Kansal eligible for IAS under the new criteria.

"True justice will be done by giving him IAS if there is a carry forward vacancy from previous years," said Gupta.

Kansal's dream remains clear: "By joining the civil services, I wanted to prove that even people like me can do it."

As of now, Kansal's case is sub judice in the Central Administrative Tribunal.

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