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24th October 2024 (10 Topics)

Centre finalises stricter norms for Disability Certificates

Context

Union Government notified amendments to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Rules, 2024, tightening the norms for getting a disability certificate. However, the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) denounced them and called for their withdrawal.

Key Changes in the Amendments

The amendments were introduced in the wake of the controversy surrounding Puja Khedkar, a dismissed IAS probationer accused of falsifying her disability certificate.

  • Broadly, the new norms have brought changes in the process of applications made to obtain Unique Disability Identity (UDID) cards and the process of issuance of these cards.
    • The new norms also introduced colour-coded white, yellow and blue UDID cards signifying ascending levels of disability, with blue being the highest, for persons having disability at 80 per cent and above.
    • The UDID project initiated by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilitiesaims at building a holistic end-to-end integrated system for Issuance of Universal ID & Disability Certificates for Person with Disabilities with their identification and disability details.
  • Proof of Identity Requirements: Individuals applying for a disability certificate must now submit proof of identity, including a photo taken within the last six months and an Aadhaar card.
  • Medical Authority Involvement: Only medical authorities are deemed competent to process applications for disability certificates. This restricts the involvement of other relevant bodies, potentially complicating the certification process.
  • Extended Processing Time: The time required to process applications has been increased from one month to three months, potentially delaying access to necessary support and services for individuals with disabilities.
  • Lapsed Applications: A new clause in Rule 18 allows applications to become inactive if not decided upon within two years, requiring applicants to reapply or reactivate their application, adding further bureaucratic hurdles.

Fact Box: Types of Disabilities

As per the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights & Full Participation) Act, 1995 - A person with disability can be defined as one with one or more of disabilities falling under any of the below mentioned categories:

  • Blindness:- "Blindness" refers to a condition where a person suffers from any of the following conditions namely:-
  • Total absence of sight; or Visual acuity not exceeding 6/60 or 20/200 (Snellen) in the better eye with correcting lenses; or Limitation of the field of vision subtending an angle of 20 degree or worse;
  • Cerebral Palsy:- "Cerebral Palsy" means a group of non-progressive conditions of a person characterized by abnormal motor control posture resulting from brain insult or injuries occurring in the pre-natal, peri-natal or infant period of development;
  • Low vision:- " Low vision" means a person with impairment of visual functioning even after treatment of standard refractive correction but who uses or is potentially capable of using vision for the planning or execution of a task with appropriate assistive device;
  • Locomotor disability:- "Locomotor disability" means disability of the bones, joints or muscles leading to substantial restriction of the movement of the limbs or nay form of cerebral palsy;
  • Leprosy-cured:- "Leprosy-cured person" means person who has been cured of leprosy but is suffering from-
    • Loss of sensation in hands or feet as well as loss of sensation and paresis in the eye and eye-lid but with no manifest deformity;
    • Manifest deformity and paresis but having sufficient mobility in their hands and feet to enable them to engage in normal economic activity;
    • Extreme physical deformity as well as advanced age which prevents him from undertaking and gainful occupation and the expression "Leprosy Cured" shall be construed accordingly;
  • Mental retardation:- "Mental retardation" means a conditions of arrested or incomplete development of mind of a person which is specially characterized by sub normality of intelligence;
  • Mental illness:- "Mental illness" means any mental disorder other than Mental retardation
  • Hearing Impairment:- "Hearing Impairment" means loss of sixty decibels or more in the better ear in the conversational range of frequencies
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