Consider SI aspirants with vision issues, TNUSRB told

“It is well-settled in law that a physical defect or deformity, which in no way interferes with the normal or efficient functioning, should not be considered as an absolute bar to public employment in regard to the posts not associated with physical activity,” Justice R Mahadevan said.

Allowing a batch of petitions by the candidates seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board (TNUSRB) to consider them for appointment to the posts of Sub-Inspector Technical and Finger Print, the judge noted the candidates who had been declared selected were later rejected on the grounds that their vision was not fulfilling the required standards and said there was no nexus between the job they were supposed to do and their eyesight.

If such a defect does not come in the way of their normal functioning and can be corrected, the candidates should not be treated as medically unfit, he said adding technology had also developed well beyond imagination. Mentioning that the petitioners’ eye vision defect pointed out could be easily cured by scientific methods, the judge also held that rejecting the candidates citing a new rule which was not mentioned in the recruitment notification was arbitrary and illegal. 

The TNSURB should, in the future, include any such conditions--as prescribed--under the relevant rules and government orders (GO) at the time of issuing notification, the judge added.