Reported misuse: Centre proposes UDID cards for people below 40 per cent disability
New Delhi: Amid reports of misuse of disability cards, the Centre has proposed white-coloured Unique Disability ID cards for those with below 40 per cent disability in new draft rules.
In a move aimed at enhancing the ease of obtaining disability certificates and UDID cards and making it more stringent, the Centre has released draft rules to streamline the application and issuance processes for persons with disabilities (PwDs).
The key changes include revisions to Rules 17 and 18, which pertain to the application and issuance of disability certificates and UDID cards.
Rule 18 outlines the process for issuing disability certificates and UDID cards. Upon receiving an application, the medical authority will verify the provided information and assess the disability according to Central Government guidelines.
The proposed amendments introduce three types of UDID cards based on the severity of the disability: White Band Card (below 40 per cent disability), Yellow Band Card (40 per cent to below 80 per cent disability), and Blue Band Card (80 per cent and above disability).
Disability rights activist Dr Satendra Singh said the colour-coded cards existed, but earlier certificates and cards were not issued for below 40 per cent disability.
“There were yellow and blue coloured cards based on the level of disability, but white card signifying below 40 per cent disability was not seen before,” Singh told PTI.
Under the proposed amended Rule 17, PwDs can apply for a disability certificate or UDID card through the UDID Portal, simplifying the application process. The application must include proof of identity, a recent photograph not older than six months, proof of residence, and the applicant’s Aadhaar number or enrollment number.
According to the draft rules, the medical authority is required to issue the disability certificate and UDID card within three months if a disability is diagnosed. If no decision is made within two years, the application will be deemed inactive, requiring the applicant to reapply or request reactivation.
The medical authority must provide reasons for rejection within one month, with the option for the applicant to appeal within 90 days.
The draft rules are open for public feedback for 30 days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette on July 29.
The draft rules come in the wake of the Puja Khedkar case in which Khedkar was accused of misusing the disability and Other Backward Class (non-creamy layer) quotas to secure her candidature in the civic services exam.
The UPSC on Wednesday said it had cancelled the provisional candidature of Khedkar and debarred her from all future examinations or selections.
Fill seats left vacant after admissions through CUET: UGC to Universities
Press Trust of India
New Delhi: Central universities can conduct their own entrance exams or admit students on the basis of marks in the qualifying exam if seats remain vacant in undergraduate and postgraduate courses after admissions through CUET, the UGC announced on Thursday.
Keeping the seats vacant for an entire academic year is not only a waste of resources but also results in denial of quality higher education to many students who aspire to pursue higher studies in central universities, it said.
The University Grants Commission (UGC), however, clarified that scores of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) will remain the primary criteria for admitting students.
“It has come to the notice of the UGC that seats remain vacant in some of the central universities even after three or four rounds of counselling. To keep the seats vacant for an entire academic year is not only a waste of resources but also results in denial of quality higher education to many students who aspire to pursue higher studies in central universities,” UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said.
“Hence, in order to facilitate the central universities to fill up their vacant seats, the SOPs have been formulated. Students who appeared in CUET, but may or may not have applied to the respective university for the courses or programmes earlier may also be considered,” he said.
The commission has recommended that students who appeared in CUET may be considered irrespective of the domain subject papers in which they appeared.
“The university may relax the domain subject-specific criteria for admission to a particular course. In case seats remain vacant even after exhausting the list of applicants who appeared in CUET, the university may consider conducting an entrance examination at its own level or the concerned department may conduct a screening test.
“The university may also admit students on the basis of marks obtained in the qualifying examination. The entire admission process has to be based on merit and transparency. The reservation roster shall apply for admission to courses/programmes in all cases,” Kumar said.
The universities have also been asked to ensure that the entire admission process is done on time so that no student faces any kind of academic loss.
Admission to all UG and PG courses at central universities are being conducted through CUET since 2022.
