The Karnataka High Court has upheld the decision of the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) to reject a candidate with a speech disorder for the position of Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP). The court dismissed a writ petition filed by Rishi Kumar, who was found unfit due to stammering—a speech fluency disorder—despite clearing all written tests and verifications for the role.
A division bench comprising Justice V Kameswar Rao and Justice T M Nadaf passed the judgment on May 2, 2025, affirming the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Bengaluru, which had earlier rejected Kumar’s plea. The CAT had supported the RRB’s finding that his speech disorder posed risks to the safety and efficiency required for the ALP post.
The petitioner, aged 30 and a resident of Rewari, Haryana, applied for the ALP position through RRB's Centralized Employment Notification issued in February 2018. He successfully cleared the Computer-Based Test and aptitude test and was shortlisted for document verification and medical examination. However, he was declared medically unfit under Aye-One and Bee-One categories due to his stammering, as per medical assessments at Railway Hospitals and subsequent evaluations at the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Mysuru.
Kumar contended that the medical guidelines outlined in the Indian Railway Medical Manual (IRMM) only restrict individuals with speech impairments from roles involving public interaction. He argued that the ALP post does not involve public contact and hence should not disqualify him. He cited reports from Civil Hospital Rewari, PGI Chandigarh, and AIISH Mysuru, all of which diagnosed his condition as mild and stated that it would not significantly impact physical work efficiency.
However, the court noted that communication is central to the ALP's role, which requires constant coordination with Loco Pilots, Station Masters, Signal Guards, and control boards. Quoting the medical opinion from AIISH, the judgment stated:“Stuttering is a variable speech disorder. Situational variability and stress-induced conditions increase the dysfluencies of stuttering.
A flawless communication is sine qua non for the post of ALP. A stress situation is susceptible to disturb mental condition, which could impair a natural/normal speaking capacity and leads to dysfluencies in speech.
The judges referred to duties of an ALP listed under the Railway Board’s safety guidelines, highlighting tasks such as signalling, responding during emergencies, and coordinating during high-pressure operations. These, they said, necessitate clear and timely communication.
While acknowledging that the petitioner’s stammering was mild and did not currently affect physical efficiency, the court stressed on the potential aggravation under stress. It also pointed out that failure in communication in such roles could risk passenger safety and public property.
The court observed:
“It is a well settled principle of law that normally it is for the Recruitment Authority for the State to decide the qualification required and the Courts cannot substitute the requirement on the assessment of what the requirement should be. It is the prerogative of the employer.”
Citing precedents, the bench found no arbitrariness or bias in the RRB's actions. It held that the decision was based on expert medical advice, and the selection process strictly followed established rules and procedures.
Therefore, the petition was dismissed as devoid of merit. The court declined to interfere with the RRB’s evaluation, reiterating the paramount importance of safety in railway operations.
Case Title: Rishi Kumar vs. Union of India & Others
Counsel for Petitioner: Advocate Achappa P B
Counsel for Respondents: DSGI H Shanthi Bhushan
