For the first time in the history of the State, visually-impaired people have become successful in qualifying for the Odisha Civil Service Examination 2015 conducted by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC).
Visually-impaired Sanyas Kumar Behera has occupied the 220th position in the examination. However, Behera had to run from pillar to post to be granted permission to sit for the examination.
Though Behera had filed a petition in the Orissa High Court, in the OPSC’s 2011 advertisement no post was reserved for PwDs. Again in 2015, he filed a petition before State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities to give instruction to the OPSC for implementation of a three-per cent reservation for PwD in the Odisha Civil Service Examination 2015.
After the personal efforts of State Commissioner for PwDs Dr Minati Behera and SSEP Secretary Susant Mishra, the OPSC rule was modified and visually-impaired people were allowed to appear at the examination.
Behera and six other visually-impaired persons have been selected for the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS). Behera has thanked the Chief Minister for giving an opportunity to the visually-impaired persons to sit in the examination.