The Railways on Friday cancelled an exam at 12 centres and Minister Suresh Prabhu ordered a probe after differently-abled aspirants faced a harrowing time as their examination centres were located in on higher floors in buildings with no lifts or ramps.
Prabhu ordered the probe after it was alleged that many disabled candidates could not reach the centres on Thursday for an online recruitment test which was held on the second and third floors of buildings without lifts or ramps.
Some parents even had to carry their wards up the stairs for the exam which was organised by the Railways Recruitment Board on the orders of the Supreme Court as part of a special recruitment drive to fill up more than 450 seats.
“Ordered to fix responsibility, if lapse in dealing with differently-abled, whom we respect & several schemes are in works for them,” Prabhu posted on microblogging site, Twitter.
Railways have cancelled the examination at about 12 centres where inconvenience to candidates was reported, Railway Spokesperson Anil Saxena said.
“All those who have faced problems in reaching the exam centres or failed to make it will be given another chance to reappear. The new date of examination will be intimated to them soon,” he said.
There were 142 exam centres for about 1.5 lakh candidates across the country. Railways have blamed the private agency which was hired to suggest centres for the online examination for wrong selection of test venues.
A senior railway official said action will be taken against the private agency.