Subordinate Services Selection Board, Punjab’s Cruel Indifference Towards Disabled And Visually Impaired Candidates For Group D Examination .

Apr5,2026 | Jagrati Lahar Bureau | Ludhiana

Subordinate Services Selection Board, Punjab’s glaring apathy has come on forth towards Disabled Physically Challenged Candidates which also include many 100% visually impaired aspirants. An examination was conducted by the board on Sunday (5^th April) for Group D Posts advertised in 2025 at various centres of the state. The Alumni of SCD Govt College Ludhiana in a virtual meet discussed the challenges faced by such candidates

“ All the disabled candidates had to rush to distant centres of examination to districts allotted to them other than their own district of residence. Such eligible candidates were also asked to bring their Scribes (Writer) . Candidates had to travel long distances to report at the centre at 9 AM . There were 87 candidates in all in this category. Most affected were 100% visually impaired candidates who had to give written examinations for these subordinate posts. Many had to take on rent lodges on the previous day to be able to reach the centre intime. Earlier they were asked to pre register their scribes by taking them to the Mohali office of the board This shows the utter insensitivity of the State Government towards disabled and blind students, many of whom mostly are from very poor financial backgrounds. Instead of facilitating, they were a harassed lot, said Goyal, the org secretary of alumni association.

A Kendriya Vidyala Principal ( Retd.)Manjit Singh Sandhu said,”For such candidates, travelling long distances is not just inconvenient—it can be physically exhausting, financially burdensome, and sometimes even unsafe. Many depend on assistance, accessible transport, or familiar surroundings. Ignoring these realities defeats the purpose of equal opportunity. A more humane and practical approach would be by prioritising home district or nearest possible centre for Differently Abled candidates. Allowing flexibility in centre change requests without bureaucratic delays, ensuring accessible infrastructure and support staff at exam centres and Providing transport or travel assistance where needed

Prof. P K Sharma says, “Equality does not mean treating everyone the same—it means giving each person what they need to compete fairly. The government and examining bodies can certainly make this small but meaningful change. *It would not compromise the integrity of exams, but it would greatly improve dignity and accessibility for those who need it most. “

Goyal asked the Chief Minister and Social Welfare Minister of Punjab to probe the working of the Subordinate Services Selection Board for sensitising the officials.

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