Who can Apply for Disability Certificate?

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India has laid down certain conditions for a person to be considered as disabled. Following are some of the conditions that must be fulfilled:

The person has to be an Indian citizen

Extent of disability

Person must have minimum 35% mentally handicapped or disability

Person must have an orthopedic disability of minimum 40%

In case of deaf people the disability percentage must be between 90 db & 100 db

Visual impairment has to be more than 90%

How to Obtain Disability Certificate

First of all, you would need to visit a local government health center and get yourself examined. The person with disability will have to personally present at the local health center. Doctors in that center then refers you to the appropriate hospital where disability certificate can be issued.

Then the person with disability has to be personally visit the said hospital and be present in front of the Medical Board for disability evaluation. You can visit any of the hospitals listed in the next section for getting yourself evaluated and apply for a disability certificate. In case the person with disability can not be personally present in the hospital, a parent/guardian can approach the medical board and discuss the case to see what other arrangement could be made for disability evaluation.

You should carry the following documents while going for evaluation or for applying for disability certificate:

Referral paper from the local health center

Two recent colored personal photos of the person with disability

Copy of the I.D. proof (Aadhar Card is best)

Copy of the address proof (Aadhar Card is best)

Copies of available medical reports

Copy of the previous Disability Certificate (in case it is being renewed)

If possible, it is advisable to speak with the hospital you’re planning to visit about what documents are required for the issuance of disability certificate.

You should keep the referral slip safe as you will need on every visit to the hospital. Medical board is constituted by five doctors. It is not uncommon that one or more doctors will not be present in the hospital. In such a case the evaluation will not take place and you may have to return home with a next date in hand.

When the full board will meet and your disability will be evaluated — you will be given another date when you can again go to the hospital and collect your disability certificate.

Degree of disability is indicated by a percentage. Higher the impact of the disability — higher would be the disability percentage.