IAS Smita Sabharwal questions disability quota in civil services, sparks row

Days after Puja Khedkar, a controversial probationary IAS officer, who got selected under disability criteria, a senior bureaucrat has questioned the need for quotas for the specially-abled in the civil services.

In an X post, Smita Sabharwal - member-secretary of the Telangana Finance Commission, said, "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 people’s grievances-which requires physical fitness."

"Why does this premier service need this Quota in the first place!" she asked.

Amid the row, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi responded to Sabharwal's tweet and termed it a "pathetic" point of view.

"This is such a pathetic and exclusionary view to have. Interesting to see how bureaucrats are showing their limited thoughts and their privilege too," Priyanka Chaturvedi said.

IAS officer Sabharwal was quick to reply, saying, "Madam, with due respect, if bureaucrats do not speak on pertinent issues of governance, then who will ? My thoughts and concern, stem from a career of 24 odd years... no limited experience."

"Kindly read the view in entirety. I have stated that the AIS has different demands compared to other Central Services. The talented differently-abled can surely find great opportunities," her tweet read.

However, the IAS officer was again slammed by Chaturvedi, who said, "I haven’t seen bureaucrats criticising the misuse of the quota such as EWS/Non creamy layer or Disabilities and getting into the system but rather about doing away with a reservation that promotes diversity and inclusion."

"I don’t know how you telling about the number of years in service is relevant to your point. Thanks anyway."

Puja Khedkar secured an All India rank of 821 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams and was transferred from Pune to the Washim district of Maharashtra after allegations of misusing her authority.

Source: India Today