Patna: The Bihar government has enforced a domicile requirement for candidates applying under the Divyang (disabled) quota in government jobs and educational institutions, restricting the benefits of reservation to individuals who are permanent residents of the state.
An order issued on Friday by the General Administration Department formalised the change, which will apply to all future appointments and admissions under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
Previously, the horizontal reservation—4% in state government jobs and 5% in admissions to higher education institutions—was open to Divyang candidates regardless of their state of origin. This, according to officials, resulted in a disproportionate number of beneficiaries coming from outside Bihar, leaving many eligible local candidates at a disadvantage.
The new rule aims to prioritise Bihar’s own disabled population, which numbers over 23 lakh according to the 2011 Census. Of these, around 16 lakh have been issued disability certificates.
However, the domicile clause will apply only to the Divyang quota. The reservation rules for the general category remain unchanged and will continue without domicile restrictions.
