Gujarat forms 5-member panel to frame disability promotion reservation policy
Synopsis
Gujarat has set up a five-member panel under Chief Secretary M K Das to draft a first-of-its-kind promotion reservation policy for employees with disabilities — a legal grey area that has seen repeated court battles across India. The committee will benchmark against other states and Supreme Court rulings before submitting its recommendations.
Key Takeaways
The Gujarat government constituted a five-member high-level committee on 22 August to frame a disability promotion reservation policy.
The panel is chaired by Chief Secretary M K Das and includes officials from the GAD , Social Justice and Empowerment Department , Law Department , and the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities .
The committee will review Central government guidelines , Supreme Court and High Court judgments, and policies of other state governments.
It will recommend the percentage of reservation in promotions and the administrative steps needed for implementation.
The panel was constituted through a GAD resolution under the Chief Minister's leadership and must report within a state-prescribed timeframe.
The Gujarat government on Saturday, 22 August constituted a five-member high-level committee to formulate a policy on reservation in promotions for employees with disabilities in state government services. The panel, headed by Chief Secretary M K Das, was set up through a resolution issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) under the direction of the Chief Minister.
Committee Composition and Mandate
The committee is chaired by Chief Secretary M K Das and includes senior officials from the General Administration Department, the Social Justice and Empowerment Department, the Law Department, and the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. It has been authorised to seek information and obtain views from any state government department or office as required for its study.
The panel's primary mandate is to examine the legal and administrative framework governing reservation in promotions for persons with disabilities and recommend a suitable policy, including the percentage of reservation and steps needed for its effective implementation.
Scope of the Review
As part of its work, the committee will undertake a detailed review of existing legal provisions relating to disability promotion reservation in state government services and posts. It will also study guidelines issued by the Centre and relevant judgments of the Supreme Court and various High Courts on the subject.
Notably, the panel will conduct a comparative study of policies adopted by other state governments, examining how their provisions and judicial interpretations could inform a Gujarat-specific framework. This comparative approach is intended to ensure the recommended policy is legally sound and administratively feasible.
What the Panel Will Recommend
Based on its assessment, the committee will make recommendations on several aspects: the appropriate percentage of reservation in promotions for officers and employees with disabilities, the legal provisions and court pronouncements applicable to Gujarat, and the administrative steps required to roll out the policy across state departments.
The committee's proceedings are to be completed within a timeframe prescribed by the state government, after which it will submit its formal recommendations.
Why This Matters
The move comes amid growing calls across India for stronger enforcement of disability rights in public employment, particularly at the level of career advancement. While the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 mandates reservation for persons with disabilities in government jobs, promotion-level reservation has remained a grey area in many states, subject to ongoing litigation. Gujarat's initiative to formalise a policy through a high-level committee signals a structured attempt to address this gap. The outcome of this panel's work could set a precedent for other states navigating the same legal and administrative terrain.
Point of View
And promotion-level reservation has been litigated in courts for years without a clear state policy in place. The decision to benchmark against other states and court rulings before committing to a percentage is prudent, but it also defers the hard political question of how high that percentage should be. The real test will be whether the committee's recommendations are implemented swiftly or quietly shelved, as has happened with similar panels in other states.
NationPress
22 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Gujarat formed a committee on disability promotion reservation?
Gujarat formed the committee to fill a policy gap: while the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 mandates reservation in government jobs, promotion-level reservation for disabled employees has remained undefined in the state. The panel will examine legal provisions and court rulings to recommend a formal policy.
Who heads the Gujarat disability reservation committee?
Chief Secretary M K Das chairs the five-member committee. Other members include senior officials from the General Administration Department, Social Justice and Empowerment Department, Law Department, and the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities.
What will the committee recommend?
The committee will recommend the appropriate percentage of reservation in promotions for employees with disabilities, drawing on Central government guidelines, Supreme Court and High Court judgments, and policies adopted by other state governments. It will also outline steps for effective implementation.
When will the committee submit its report?
The committee is required to complete its proceedings within a timeframe prescribed by the Gujarat government, after which it will submit its formal recommendations. A specific deadline has not been publicly disclosed.
How does this affect state government employees with disabilities in Gujarat?
Currently, Gujarat lacks a defined policy for reservation in promotions for employees with disabilities. Once the committee submits its recommendations and the government acts on them, eligible disabled employees in state government services could gain a structured entitlement to promotion quotas for the first time.
