Temporary Disability Certificates Not Eligible for PwBD Recruitment Quota: Govt Clarifies

The Government of India has issued a fresh clarification on the eligibility of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) for reservation in recruitment, stating that candidates holding temporary disability certificates for conditions “likely to improve” will not be eligible for reservation benefits in direct recruitment.

The clarification was issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and has been circulated to all Ministries, Departments and establishments, including the Railways, for strict compliance.

According to the Office Memorandum dated December 17, 2025, disabilities that are progressive, non-progressive, or not likely to improve will be treated as equivalent to permanent disabilities for the purpose of reservation under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. However, disabilities certified as “likely to improve” fall under the temporary disability category and do not qualify for reservation benefits.

The memorandum further clarifies that disability certificates issued as temporary should not be rejected outright merely because they are labelled “temporary.” Recruiting authorities have been advised to examine the nature of the disability mentioned in the certificate and allow candidates to seek reassessment under the RPwD (Amendment) Rules, 2024, where required.

To prevent hardship to candidates during recruitment processes, Ministries and Departments have been instructed to clearly specify eligibility conditions in recruitment advertisements. In particular, advertisements must state that:

• Disabilities categorised as “likely to improve” are not eligible for reservation; and
• Disabilities that are progressive, non-progressive or not likely to improve are eligible for PwBD reservation.

An earlier clarification issued in January 2024 had also stated that reservation benefits under Section 34 of the RPwD Act are applicable only to persons with benchmark disabilities of 40% or more, and that temporary disability certificates with a defined validity period do not qualify for reservation benefits in either direct recruitment or promotion.

The Railway Board has forwarded the clarification to all Zonal Railways, Production Units, Public Sector Undertakings and autonomous bodies under its control, directing authorities to ensure uniform implementation of the policy across recruitment processes.

The clarification aims to bring consistency in the interpretation of disability certification rules following the notification of the RPwD (Amendment) Rules, 2024, and to avoid ambiguity faced by candidates and recruiting agencies alike.

View Railway Board letter:

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