Expedite Roster and Backlog Vacancy Issues
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SHIMLA 7 January, 2026
A review meeting on issues concerning Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) was convened here today by the Department of Empowerment of SCs, STS, OBCs, Minorities and the Specially Abled (ESOMSA) to discuss matters related to Divyangjans, particularly the demands raised by the Blind Persons Association.
While discussing various PwD-related issues, Director ESOMSA Sumit Khimta said that only the Animal Husbandry and Printing & Stationery Departments have so far issued advertisements to fill backlog posts. He urged the remaining departments to expedite filling the posts reserved for Persons with Disabilities.
“The School Education Department has declared final results for JBT posts reserved for Persons with Disabilities. A total of 119 JBT posts have been filled, including 50 for the visually impaired, 49 for the orthopedically handicapped, 11 for the hearing impaired, 8 for those with multiple disabilities, and 1 for the intellectually disabled,” he revealed.
He added that an advertisement has been issued for 94 TGT posts by the School Education Department of which 26 are reserved for the visually impaired, 22 for the hearing impaired, 13 for those who are intellectually impaired or on the autism spectrum, and 10 for those with multiple disabilities.
The meeting also addressed the mandatory HIM bus card requirement for free travel in HRTC buses. Khimta stated that directions had been issued to organize special camps to help Persons with Disabilities obtain the bus card. However, the Blind Persons Association demanded that the HIM bus card not be made mandatory for PwDs to avail free travel in HRTC buses and that they be exempted instead. The association has challenged this matter in the High Court.
Other issues discussed included enhancing the Disability Relief Allowance (DRA) under the Social Security Pension for Divyangjans; appointing an independent State Commissioner for persons with disabilities; implementing the Sahara Pension Yojana; providing houses under the Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana to visually impaired persons without conditions; and raising the retirement age for Divyangjan employees from 58 to 60 years.
The Blind Persons Association reported that the Sahara Pension Yojana has not been provided to beneficiaries for the past six months, the matter was referred to the Health and Family Welfare Department.
Shobhu Ram, President of the Blind Persons Association, thanked the chair for convening the meeting and executing the process to fill posts for the PwDs by the State Government. He urged the authorities to expedite the process so that backlog vacancies can be filled soon.
