2025 continued to contribute to the disability rights jurisprudence with some of the important judgments, which also witnessed an intersectional approach. In this article, we look at those judgments.1. Supreme Court Allows All Disabled Candidates To Take Scribe In Exams Without Meeting Benchmark Disabilities: The Supreme Court allowed a writ petition filed by a candidate suffering from...
2025 continued to contribute to the disability rights jurisprudence with some of the important judgments, which also witnessed an intersectional approach. In this article, we look at those judgments.
1. Supreme Court Allows All Disabled Candidates To Take Scribe In Exams Without Meeting Benchmark Disabilities: The Supreme Court allowed a writ petition filed by a candidate suffering from Focal Hand Dystonia(a type of a writ's camp), seeking to avail the benefit of the scribe by relying on landmark Vikas Kumar v. UPSC (2021) in which it held that benchmark disability is not the precondition to obtaining a scribe. The Court has held that the facility of a scribe and other necessary facilities should be extended to all disabilities, thereby upholding the right of inclusive education of persons with disability to participate in examinations with necessary accommodations.
A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan passed the judgment by reiterating the Vikas Kumar judgment in which a UPSC candidate, who suffered from Writer's camp, was allowed to avail scribe as against the Civil Services Examination Rules, 2018, in which it was stated that a scribe could be provided only to blind candidates and candidates with locomotor disability or cerebral palsy with an impairment of at least 40%.
Case Title: GULSHAN KUMAR Vs INSTITUTE OF BANKING PERSONNEL SELECTION| 2025 LiveLaw (SC) 151
2. 'Both Hands Intact' Condition For MBBS Admission Of Persons With Disabilities Arbitrary : Supreme Court: In a significant decision, the Supreme Court held that the eligibility condition prescribed by the National Medical Commission's guidelines that candidates with disabilities must have "both hands intact, with intact sensation and sufficient strength" for admission to MBBS course was arbitrary and antithetical to the Constitution. The Guidelines regarding admission of students with “Specified Disabilities”, which constitute Appendix H-1 to the Graduate Medical Education Regulations (Amendment), 2019, stated one of the conditions to be as follows "Both hands intact, with intact sensations, sufficient strength and range of motion are essential to be considered eligible for medical course."
Finding this condition to be against the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and also the Constitution, the bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan allowed the petitioner, a candidate with disability, to secure admission to MBBS course in the Government Medical College, Sirohi, Rajasthan.
Case Title: ANMOL v. UNION OF INDIA & ORS|2025 LiveLaw (SC) 236
3. 'None Should Be Excluded From Judicial Service Only Because Of Disability' : Supreme Court Quashes MP Rule Barring Blind Candidates: The Supreme Court held that no person can be denied consideration for recruitment in the judicial service solely on account of their physical disabilities. It struck down a rule of the Madhya Pradesh Judicial Services Rules to the extent it barred visually impaired and low vision candidates from judicial service. The Court held that persons with disabilities must not face any discrimination in their pursuit of judicial service recruitments and that the State must provide them with affirmative action to ensure an inclusive framework.
While emphasising the fundamental right to reasonable accommodation through affirmative action and recognising substantive equality by acknowledging that any form of indirect discrimination would also lead to exclusion, a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan mentioned some of the exemplary achievements of persons with disabilities in the legal profession.
Case Title: IN RE RECRUITMENT OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN JUDICIAL SERVICES v THE REGISTRAR GENERAL THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH.| 2025 LiveLaw (SC) 274
4. 'Right To Digital Access Part Of Article 21' : Supreme Court Directs To Make eKYC Process Accessible To Persons With Disabilities: Holding that acid attack survivors and persons with visual impairment are entitled to the protection under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, the Supreme Court issued twenty directions to make the digital Know-Your-Customer (KYC) eKYC process accessible to them. It directed to revise the e-KYC norms to enable persons with facial disfiguration due to acid attacks or visual impairment to access banking and e-governance services.
In the judgment, a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan also emphasised the obligation of the State to design an inclusive digital ecosystem which is accessible to all, including the marginalised and vulnerable persons. Since many welfare schemes and government services are provided through online platforms, the Court said that bridging the digital divide has become a necessity to ensure a dignified life. In this context, the Court traced the right to access digital services to Article 21 of the Constitution. The Court directed that all government portals, learning platforms, and financial technology services must be "universally accessible" to all vulnerable and marginalised sections.
Case Title: AMAR JAIN v UNION F INDIA AND ORS., & PRAGYA PRASUN VS. UNION OF INDIA| 2025 LiveLaw (SC) 507
5. Courts Can Deviate From Schedule Of Employees Compensation Act To Determine Functional Disability : Supreme Court: The Supreme Court held that in computing the compensation for functional disability, Courts don't need to confine themselves to the schedule under the Employees' Compensation Act 1923. The bench of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice K Vinod Chandran was hearing an appeal against the order of the Bombay High Court, which reduced the disability percentage of 100% to 34% for calculating the compensation of an employee who lost four fingers of his right hand.
Case Title: KAMAL DEV PRASAD v. MAHESH FORGE | 2025 LiveLaw (SC) 510
6. 'Reasonable Accommodation Not Charity But Fundamental Right' : Supreme Allows AIIMS Admission For Candidate With Disability: The Supreme Court passed an order directing an allotment of a seat in the MBBS UG Course 2025-26 against the 'Scheduled Castes Persons with Benchmark Disability' quota in the All-India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, for a candidate suffering from congenital absence of multiple fingers in both hands as well as the involvement of left foot. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta followed the Court's judgment in Om Rathod v. Director General of Health Sciences (2024) and Anmol v. Union of India & Ors (2025), wherein it was held that the mere existence of benchmark disability will not lead to disqualification in the MBBS Course.
Case Title: KABIR PAHARIA v. NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMISSION AND OTHERS| 2025 LiveLaw (SC) 532
7. Retirement Age Extension Given To One Disabled Category Can't Be Denied To Persons With Other Disabilities : Supreme Court: In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court held that prescribing different retirement ages for employees based on the nature of their disabilities amounts to unconstitutional discrimination under Article 14. The Court granted relief to a locomotor-disabled electrician, who was forced to retire at 58 years, while visually impaired employees were allowed to serve until 60 years.
The bench comprising Justices Manoj Misra and KV Viswanathan emphasised that such distinctions between differently-abled employees are arbitrary, reinforcing the principle of equal treatment under disability laws, and thereby mandating uniform retirement benefits for all benchmark disabilities.
Case Title: KASHMIRI LAL SHARMA VERSUS HIMACHAL PRADESH STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD LTD. & ANR|2025 LiveLaw (SC) 646
8. 'State Must Uphold Rights Of Prisoners With Disabilities' : Supreme Court Issues Directions For Prisons In Tamil Nadu: In a significant judgment for disability rights, the Supreme Court bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan issued guidelines for prisoners with disabilities across all prisons in Tamil Nadu, including that all prisons must be equipped with disability-friendly infrastructure such as accessible toilets, ramps, and there must be dedicated spaces for physiotherapy etc.
The directions, issued in the larger public interest to uphold the dignity and the healthcare rights of the prisoners with disabilities, also direct the State to amend the State Prison Manual within 6 months to make it in compliance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act) and the 2006 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Case Title: L. MURUGANANTHAM v. STATE OF TAMIL NADU & OTHERS|2025 LiveLaw (SC) 702
9. Employer Has Duty To Reasonably Accommodate Employee Who Acquires Disability During Service : Supreme Court: The Supreme Court reiterated that an employee who acquires a disability during service must be protected by an employer by providing suitable alternate employment, unless no such post exists in their organisation. Holding thus, the bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Aravind Kumar granted relief to a bus driver employed with the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), who was prematurely terminated from service after acquiring colour blindness, without any attempt by the employer to identify or offer him an alternative employment.
Case Title: CH. JOSEPH VERSUS THE TELANGANA STATE ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION & OTHER: 2025 LiveLaw (SC) 763
10. Disability Rights: Supreme Court Directs UPSC To Allow Scribe Change Upto 7 Days Before Exam, Seeks Proposal On Screen Reader Software Use: Pronounced on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Supreme Court ordered facilitating ease in change of scribe name for Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) candidates with disabilities as well as implementation of screen reader software for those suffering visual impairment. As per the Court's directions, candidates appearing in UPSC exams, who are eligible for a scribe, shall be permitted to request change of scribe name upto atleast 7 days before the exam. Further, UPSC shall formulate and place before the Court within 2 months a plan for use of screen reader software for visually impaired candidates in its exams.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta delivered the judgment in a writ petition filed by 'Mission Accessibility', an organization advocating for rights of PwDs, seeking modification of the timeline for scribe registration in the Civil Services Examination conducted by UPSC and for permitting the use of laptops equipped with Screen Reader Software along with accessible digital question papers for eligible candidates.
Case Title: MISSION ACCESSIBILITY Versus UNION OF INDIA AND ANR.|2025 LiveLaw (SC) 1163
11. Supreme Court Issues Pan-India Directions To Protect Rights Of Disabled Prisoners; Seeks Reports From States/UTs On Assistive Aids: In a significant step toward strengthening the rights and dignity of prisoners with disabilities, the Supreme Court directed all States and Union Territories to implement a comprehensive, disability-inclusive framework across their prison systems. A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta issued the directions while hearing a PIL filed by Sathyan Naravoor seeking adequate facilities and a proper legal regime for inmates with disabilities.
The Court noted that many of the concerns raised in the petition had already been addressed in L. Muruganantham v. State of Tamil Nadu, where extensive guidelines were framed for Tamil Nadu prisons. Observing that these safeguards must apply nationwide, the Bench formally extended the Muruganantham directives to all States and UTs.
Case Title: SATHYAN NARAVOOR v. UNION OF INDIA |2025 LiveLaw (SC) 1176
Looking forward
It can be expected that 2026 will continue to make significant contributions to disability rights jurisprudence. Here are some of the stories that the readers can look forward to:
Plea In Supreme Court Seeks PwD Reservation In Government Pleader Post
Inclusion Of Leprosy As Ground For Divorce 'Embarrassing', Says Supreme Court; '97 Laws Have Provisions Discriminatory Towards Leprosy-Affected Persons': NHRC Tells Supreme Court; Gives Recommendations
Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Cognizance Of Struggles Faced By Cadets Disabled During Military Training
Supreme Court Issues Notice On Plea To Include 'Haemophilia' Under Rights Of Persons With Disabilities Act
Supreme Court Supports Reservation For Advocates With Disabilities In State Bar Councils; Asks BCI To Submit Proposal
'Very Bad' : Supreme Court On Exclusion Of Blind Persons From Uttarakhand Judicial Service Exam; Seeks PSC's Response
Supreme Court Issues Notice To Union On Plea Against Decision To Stop Patient Care Allowance To Disabled Hospital Staff