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Disability Certificate and UDID for Government Jobs: The 40% Rule and the 4% Reservation

Sarkari Naukri Khabar  •  All India

Candidates with a disability are entitled to reserved posts in government recruitment, but only if two conditions are met that many applicants do not know about until document verification. The disability must be a benchmark disability, which the law sets at not less than 40 per cent, and it must be certified by an authority the government has designated for the purpose. This guide explains the rule in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, how the 4 per cent reservation is divided between five groups, why a post has to be identified as suitable for your category, and how to get the certificate.

The one number that decides eligibility: 40 per cent

Reservation in government jobs is for a person with benchmark disability, not for every person with a disability. Section 2(r) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 defines a person with benchmark disability as a person with not less than 40 per cent of a specified disability, as certified by the certifying authority.

So a certificate showing, say, 30 per cent is a genuine certificate of disability, but it does not make you eligible for a reserved post. Check the percentage on your certificate before you apply in a PwBD category. If it is below 40, apply in your other category.

How the 4 per cent reservation is divided

Section 34 of the Act requires every government establishment to reserve not less than 4 per cent of the total vacancies in each group of posts for persons with benchmark disabilities. That 4 per cent is not one pool. It is split between five groups:

• 1 per cent for (a) blindness and low vision.
• 1 per cent for (b) deaf and hard of hearing.
• 1 per cent for (c) locomotor disability, including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy.
• 1 per cent shared between (d) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness, and (e) multiple disabilities from among (a) to (d), including deaf-blindness.

The trap: the post must be identified for your category

Section 34 reserves these posts "in the posts identified for each disabilities". Not every post is open to every group. A post that needs normal vision may be identified for locomotor disability but not for blindness, and the reverse is true for others.

The notification says which categories each post is suitable for, usually in a column or table against the post name. Read it before applying. Applying in a PwBD category for a post not identified for your disability is one of the most common reasons such applications fail.

Who can issue the certificate

Under Section 57, the government designates certifying authorities, people with the required qualifications and experience, who alone are competent to issue a certificate of disability. A letter from a private doctor is not a certificate of disability under the Act.

Under Section 58, you apply to the certifying authority having jurisdiction. The authority assesses the disability under the guidelines notified under Section 56, and then either issues the certificate or informs you in writing that you have no specified disability.

One certificate, valid everywhere in India

Section 58(3) says the certificate of disability is valid across the country. A certificate issued in Bihar is valid for a UP recruitment or a central one. You do not need a new certificate for each state.

If you disagree with the certifying authority's decision, Section 59 of the Act provides for an appeal.

The UDID card and the official portal

Applications for a disability certificate and the Unique Disability ID (UDID) card are made through the government portal at swavlambancard.gov.in. Apply there rather than through an agent, and keep the application number.

Apply well before you need it. The certificate is issued only after an assessment, and a recruitment deadline will not wait for it. Check what your notification asks for: some ask for the certificate in a prescribed format, and it must be dated on or before the date the notification sets.

If a reserved post is not filled

Section 34(2) says that if a reserved vacancy cannot be filled in a recruitment year for want of a suitable candidate, it is carried forward to the next recruitment year. If it still cannot be filled, it may first be filled by interchange among the five groups, and only then by a person without a disability.

Age relaxation, fee concession and the facility of a scribe are set by each recruitment's rules, not by this Act. Read your notification for the figures that apply to you, and see our separate guide on the scribe facility.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of disability is needed for a reserved government job?

Not less than 40 per cent of a specified disability, certified by a certifying authority. That is the definition of benchmark disability in Section 2(r) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

How much reservation is there for persons with disabilities?

Not less than 4 per cent of the vacancies in each group of posts, under Section 34 of the Act, split as 1 per cent each for blindness and low vision, for deaf and hard of hearing, and for locomotor disability, and 1 per cent shared by autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, mental illness and multiple disabilities.

Can I use a disability certificate from Bihar for a UP or central job?

Yes. Section 58(3) of the Act says the certificate of disability is valid across the country.

Where do I apply for a disability certificate and UDID card?

Through the government portal swavlambancard.gov.in. The certificate is issued by a certifying authority designated by the government under Section 57.

Can I apply for any post in the PwBD category?

No. Reservation applies in the posts identified for each disability. The notification lists which categories each post is suitable for. Check it before applying.

How much age relaxation do PwBD candidates get?

The Act does not set it. Age relaxation is set by each recruitment's rules, so read the figure in your notification.

ℹ️ Government rules, fees and processing times can change. Always confirm the current position on the official portal or at your block office before acting.

Last updated: 11 Sep 2026