Updated on Saturday, November 25, 2006, 00:00 IST

New Delhi, Nov 25: He topped the rankings in the hearing impaired category of those selected for Civil Services in 2005, but there was disappointment in store for Mani Ram Sharma.

Sharma qualified in the exams with a rank of 378 and while he was denied a posting in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), a few other hearing impaired candidates who had lower ranks have been absorbed in the IAS and the Indian Foreign Services, claims Disability Rights Group (DRG), an advocacy group working for the rights of the disabled.

"By not giving Mani Ram Sharma his rightful due, for which he has qualified on merit, the department of personnel and training is obviously passing a judgement on the capacity and the capability of a deaf person," said DRG convenor Javed Abidi.

"The saddest part is that he had qualified in 2004 as well but was turned down on the grounds that he is not physically fit for any service. This is the worst case of injustice as candidates with lower ranks have been absorbed for IAS, IFS and Danics but Sharma has been given the worst option," he added.

Vouching for Sharma, DRG and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) have also urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar and Minister of Dept of Personnel and Training Suresh Pachauri to look into the matter.

Bureau Report