PwD Category Benefits in Government Exams
PwD (Persons with Disability) — also called PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disability) in official notifications — get among the highest age relaxation of any category. The benefits stack on top of your existing caste category, so an SC candidate with a disability gets even more relaxation than an SC candidate without one. Here's everything you're entitled to.
What PwD Candidates Get
Base relaxation of +10 years if you are General PwD. Goes up to +13 years if OBC PwD, and +15 years if SC or ST PwD.
Zero fee in SSC, UPSC, Railways, and most Banking exams (IBPS, SBI).
Horizontal reservation — 4% of all vacancies across every category's pool, not a separate slab.
Who Qualifies as PwD / PwBD?
Government exams use the term PwBD — Persons with Benchmark Disability. To qualify, you must have a disability of 40% or more as certified by a medical board.
Disability types covered under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwD Act), 2016:
- Blindness and low vision
- Deaf and hard of hearing
- Locomotor disability (including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack survivors, muscular dystrophy)
- Intellectual disability (including specific learning disability and autism spectrum disorder)
- Mental illness
- Multiple disabilities
Age Relaxation (Stacked with Your Base Category)
PwD age relaxation adds on top of your caste-category relaxation. The total relaxation depends on both.
Base Caste Category + PwD Stacking
| Your Base Category | PwD Relaxation Added | Total Age Relaxation |
|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | +10 years | +10 years over General limit |
| OBC (NCL) | +10 years | +13 years over General limit |
| SC | +10 years | +15 years over General limit |
| ST | +10 years | +15 years over General limit |
Exam-wise Effective Age Limits
| Exam | General Limit | General PwD Limit | SC/ST PwD Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC CGL | 32 years | 42 years | 47 years |
| SSC CHSL | 27 years | 37 years | 42 years |
| SSC MTS | 25 years | 35 years | 40 years |
| IBPS PO | 30 years | 40 years | 45 years |
| IBPS Clerk | 28 years | 38 years | 43 years |
| SBI PO | 30 years | 40 years | 45 years |
| RRB NTPC | 33 years | 43 years | 48 years |
| UPSC CSE | 32 years | 42 years | 47 years |
UPSC Attempts
PwD candidates get 9 attempts in UPSC CSE, regardless of base caste category.
| Category | Max Attempts | Up to Age |
|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 6 attempts | 32 years |
| OBC (NCL) | 9 attempts | 35 years |
| SC / ST | Unlimited | 37 years |
| PwD (any category) | 9 attempts | Up to relaxed age limit |
Application Fee (Mostly Exempt)
PwD candidates are exempted from paying application fees in almost all central recruitment exams.
| Exam | General Fee | PwD Fee | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC CGL | ₹100 | Exempt (₹0) | ₹100 |
| SSC CHSL | ₹100 | Exempt (₹0) | ₹100 |
| SSC MTS | ₹100 | Exempt (₹0) | ₹100 |
| UPSC CSE | ₹100 | Exempt (₹0) | ₹100 |
| RRB NTPC | ₹500 | Exempt (₹0) | ₹500 |
| RRB Group D | ₹500 | Exempt (₹0) | ₹500 |
| IBPS PO | ₹850 | ₹175 | ₹675 |
| IBPS Clerk | ₹850 | ₹175 | ₹675 |
| SBI PO | ₹750 | Exempt (₹0) | ₹750 |
| SBI Clerk | ₹750 | Exempt (₹0) | ₹750 |
4% Seats — What "Horizontal" Means
PwD reservation is 4% but it works differently from SC/ST/OBC reservation. It is called horizontal reservation.
Regular (vertical) reservation means seats are divided into separate pools — 15% SC pool, 7.5% ST pool, etc. You compete within your pool.
Horizontal reservation means 4% of vacancies are identified across all pools. So out of the SC pool, 4% must go to PwD SC candidates. Out of the OBC pool, 4% must go to PwD OBC candidates. Out of the General pool, 4% must go to PwD General candidates.
If not enough PwD candidates qualify in a category to fill that 4%, the seats may be transferred or carried forward — the exact rules vary by exam.
Extra Time and Scribe Facility
PwD candidates are also entitled to additional time and a scribe (writer) in many exams:
- Extra time: Usually 20 minutes per hour (so a 60-minute paper becomes 80 minutes). Some exams give a flat additional 30 or 40 minutes total. Check the specific notification.
- Scribe: Candidates with visual impairment or locomotor disability of the writing hand can request a scribe. The scribe is usually arranged by the exam conducting body. In some cases you can bring your own (with prior approval).
- Assistive devices: Candidates who normally use assistive devices (hearing aids, prosthetics, etc.) may use them during the exam — check the notification for allowed devices.
Certificate You Need
Disability Certificate
Issued by: District Medical Board or Medical Authority constituted by Central or State Government.
Key requirement: The certificate must state that the disability is 40% or more. Anything below 40% does not qualify for PwBD reservation under the RPwD Act's "benchmark disability" definition.
A Few Things to Know
- Post suitability matters. Not every post is open to every disability. A visually impaired candidate may not be eligible for a post that requires colour vision or field work. Always check the post-wise suitability table in the notification.
- Physical fitness tests are sometimes modified. For physical posts (constable, GD), physically disabled candidates may be exempt from certain tests, or separate standards apply.
- NDA: PwD candidates are generally not eligible for NDA (armed forces entry).
- Scribe is not automatic. You must request it while filling the application. You cannot request it on exam day.
FAQ
What is a Benchmark Disability in government recruitment?
A benchmark disability refers to a disability of 40% or more as certified by an officially constituted medical board. Only candidates with benchmark disabilities qualify for the horizontal reservation and other PwD relaxations.
How does horizontal reservation work for PwD?
Unlike vertical reservation (where seats are divided into separate independent pools like SC, ST, OBC), horizontal reservation cuts across all pools. 4% of seats within each vertical category (General, OBC, SC, ST) are reserved for PwD candidates of that respective category.
Can I stack PwD benefits with my caste category benefits?
Yes. Age relaxations stack. A General PwD candidate gets +10 years, an OBC PwD gets +13 years (+3 from OBC NCL and +10 from PwD), and an SC/ST PwD gets +15 years (+5 from SC/ST and +10 from PwD).
Are PwD candidates entitled to extra time and scribes?
Yes, candidates who are blind, have locomotor disabilities affecting writing, or have similar severe constraints can request a scribe. Scribe requests must be made during the application stage. Most exams also grant compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour.
Disclaimer: Benefits based on RPwD Act 2016 and central government recruitment rules. Post suitability for specific disability types varies by exam and post. Always verify with the official notification. Last reviewed June 2025.