New Delhi: In a turn of events, a senior government official, Smita Sabharwal, has sparked controversy by questioning the necessity of reservations for individuals with disabilities in the civil services. This comes days after Puja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer selected under the disability quota and faced scrutiny. Post on the X platform In a recent social media post, Sabharwal, who serves as the member-secretary of the Telangana Finance Commission, posed a provocative question: Would you trust a pilot or a surgeon with a disability to perform their duties Her statement has ignited a debate about the capabilities of individuals with disabilities in certain professions. The roles of AIS officers (IAS/IPS/IFoS) demand a high level of physical stamina, as they involve extensive fieldwork, prolonged hours, and direct interaction with the public to address their concerns, requiring a strong physical presence. As this debate is blowing up-With all due respect to the Differently Abled. 🫡Does an Airline hire a pilot with disability Or would you trust a surgeon with a disability.The nature of the #AIS ( IAS/IPS/IFoS) is field-work, long taxing hours, listening first hand to…— Smita Sabharwal (@SmitaSabharwal) July 21, 2024Reactions to Swati Sabharwals post A social media user named UPSCyclopedia said physical disability is far better than ethical disability. Even if individuals secure positions through such cheap tricks, what kind of principles are they setting for aspiring candidates Are they promoting a culture of shortcuts and unethical behavior, rather than encouraging hard work, dedication and integrity Physical disability is far better than ethical disability.Even if individuals secure positions through such cheap tricks, what kind of principles are they setting for aspiring candidatesAre they promoting a culture of shortcuts and unethical behavior, rather than…— UPSCyclopedia (@UPSCyclopedia) July 21, 2024Another user named Ishar Singh wrote, Completely disagree with due respect. Airline Pilots/Surgeons have a specific job which requires physical response during life-death situations. Not the case with AIS. Its completely wrong to compare. Real problem is ethical disability.Completely disagree with due respect.Airline Pilots/Surgeons have a specific job which requires physical response during life-death situations.Not the case with AIS.Its completely wrong to compare.Real problem is ethical disability.— Ishwar Singh (@IshwarBagga) July 21, 2024A user named Siddharth Singh said that, according to the NFHS-5 survey conducted between 2019 and 21, approximately 63 million individuals in India have disabilities. However, this figure is likely a gross underestimation due to the prevalence of social stigma and undiagnosed invisible disabilities. The absence of representation from disabled individuals in public administration poses a significant barrier to creating accessible infrastructure and facilities. Moreover, the assumption that disabled people are incapable of working long hours or engaging in fieldwork is a harmful misconception. Notably, Franklin D Roosevelt, one of Americas most accomplished presidents, successfully led the nation despite living with a disability, shattering such stereotypes.63 million in India are disabled according to NFHS-5 survey 2019-21. And this is most certainly an underestimate due to social stigmas and invisible disabilities.If the public administration wont have disabled people in their ranks, then there will be much less action to make…— Siddharth Singh (@siddharth3) July 21, 2024About Puja KhedkarPuja Khedkar, who achieved an All India rank of 821 in the prestigious UPSC exams, has been transferred from her post in Pune to the Washim district in Maharashtra, following allegations of abuse of power and misconduct during her tenure.
