Country’s top civil services recruitment body Union Public Service Commission has introduced a new policy allowing candidates with benchmark disabilities to appear for examinations at centres of their choice, addressing long-standing concerns around accessibility and logistical challenges.
UPSC said on Thursday it will now allot the preferred examination centre to all Persons with Benchmark Disabilities for its exams, regardless of capacity constraints that apply to other candidates. The move applies across UPSC-conducted examinations and will take effect from upcoming recruitment cycles.
Candidates applying under the PwBD category often face difficulties when high-demand centres reach capacity early in the application process, forcing them to choose locations that may be far from home or lack suitable infrastructure. Popular centres such as Delhi, Patna, Cuttack and Lucknow tend to fill up quickly due to large volumes of applicants.
UPSC chairman Ajay Kumar said the decision followed an analysis of examination centre data from the past five years, which showed that PwBD candidates were disproportionately affected once centres hit their limits.
“This creates challenges for PwBD candidates, who are then compelled to opt for centres that may not be convenient for them,” he said, adding that the new system would ensure “maximum convenience and ease” for such candidates.
UPSC to create additional capacity
Under the revised arrangement, examination centres will initially be filled by both PwBD and non-PwBD candidates until their standard capacity is reached. Once a centre is fully booked, it will no longer be available to non-PwBD applicants, but PwBD candidates will still be allowed to select it as their preferred location.
The commission said it will create additional capacity to accommodate these candidates so that none are denied their chosen centre.
Disability rights advocates have long argued that examination logistics, including travel distance and unfamiliar venues, can pose significant barriers for candidates with disabilities. While UPSC already provides certain accommodations such as scribes and extra time, access to convenient examination centres has remained a key concern.
UPSC conducts some of the country’s most competitive examinations, including those for the Indian Administrative Service and other central services, attracting hundreds of thousands of candidates each year.
The commission said the new policy is intended to make the examination process more inclusive without altering the competitive framework of the tests.
