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issue 6 september-october 2005
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Headlines : India News
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Blind candidates can sit for bank exam, rules Supreme Court

Telegraph (PTI); New Delhi; August 16, 2005

The Supreme Court has directed the banking service recruitment board to allow a visually handicapped woman to sit for a Probationary Officers' (P.O.) exam.

Four years ago, Amita had challenged the recruitment board's decision to reject her application on the ground that she was visually impaired.

Justices Y.K. Sabharwal, D.M. Dharmadhikari and Tarun Chatterjee today upheld her claim, saying: "It cannot be doubted that a visually impaired candidate is entitled to sit and write the P.O. examination along with other general candidates, where any post is not earmarked for handicapped persons, as a general candidate."

The Bench said the rejection of her application on the ground that she was visually impaired amounted to "violation of her fundamental right to equality enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution". This provision guarantees "Equality before law and equal application of law" for all citizens.

The Bench also said "if selected", Amita "could be appointed as a Probationary Officer subject to satisfying other terms and conditions attached to the post".

Other India News stories in this issue:
Visually impaired family charts its own path to independence
Car rally for visually impaired navigators
Pak doctors in city to sharpen paediatric ophthalmology skills
ISRO's EDUSAT will deliver live audio for blind students
India, US sign vision research agreement
Daily wage earner develops special cane for visually impaired users
Ophthalmologist creates medical history

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