Diabetics eligible for govt jobs: HC

Chennai: Making it clear that a diabetic is eligible for appointment in government posts as there is no scientific proof to show such a person would not be able to discharge his duties, the Madras High Court has directed Southern Railways to appoint an applicant within eight weeks.

A division bench comprising justices V Ramasubramanian and T Mathivanan gave the direction while dismissing a petition by Chief Personal Officer of Southern Railway, denying appointment to a woman on the ground that she was a diabetic.

"In the absence of any scientific evidence to show that a diabetic will not be able to discharge the duties of office, it is not possible to accept the stand taken by the authorities," the judges said. The bench said this was especially in view of the fact that India has become the world's diabetic capital, "probably due to the concerted efforts taken in the past five decades by the food, fertiliser, pharmaceutical and beverage industries."

The court pointed out that a global report by the Indian Diabetes Research Foundation had stated that 40.9 million Indians are diabetic. "Therefore, it is not possible to accept that they are unemployable or that if employed, they would become a liability on the employer."

Railways had challenged the order Central Administrative Tribunal, Madras Bench, directing it to appoint a woman candidate Pushpam to a suitable Grade D post in 12 weeks.