IAS Smita Sabharwal Questions Disability Quota For Civil Servants; Sparks Outrage

IAS Smita Sabharwal explained that her sole question was why the quota was not implemented in the IPS/IFoS and certain Defence sectors.

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New Delhi: A senior bureaucrat's comment questioning the necessity of quotas for specially-abled individuals in civil services has sparked controversy. IAS Smita Sabharwal, Member-Secretary of the Telangana Finance Commission, raised doubts about the relevance of a disability quota in allied services.

After facing outrage for her post on her social media X, she explained that her sole question was why the quota was not implemented in the IPS/IFoS and certain Defence sectors. 

"See a lot of outrage on my timeline. I suppose addressing the elephant in the room gets you that reaction.  Would request the Rights Activists to also examine why this quota has still not been implemented in the IPS/ IFoS and certain sectors like defence.  My limited point is that the IAS is no different," the post read.  

See a lot of outrage on my timeline. I suppose addressing the elephant in the room gets you that reaction.
Would request the Rights Activists to also examine why this quota has still not been implemented in the IPS/ IFoS and certain sectors like defence.
My limited point is…

— Smita Sabharwal (@SmitaSabharwal) July 22, 2024

In her earlier post, the IAS officer raised a question on disability quota in civil servide and 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," she added. 

The outrage sparked after Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi responded to Sabharwal's tweet and termed it a "pathetic". While in response Smita said, "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."

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… https://t.co/C6bzSyi6DX — Smita Sabharwal (@SmitaSabharwal) July 21, 2024