The Supreme Court on Tuesday stepped in to correct what it called a clear injustice to a woman candidate denied a job because of her disability. In a strong message on inclusion, the court directed Coal India Limited to appoint Sujata Bora as a Management Trainee, stressing that disability cannot become a barrier when the law guarantees equal opportunity .
Background of the Case
Sujata Bora applied in 2019 for the post of Management Trainee under the visually handicapped category in Coal India’s recruitment drive. She cleared the interview stage and was called for medical tests. But during the Initial Medical Examination in 2021, she was declared unfit, not only for her visual impairment but also due to partial hemiparesis.
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Feeling wronged, Bora approached the Calcutta High Court in 2023. A Single Judge ruled in her favour, saying Coal India, as a public sector body, could not reject a candidate with multiple disabilities and must adjust its recruitment process accordingly. However, the Division Bench later overturned this decision, holding that the recruitment panel had expired and no relief could be granted.
That brought Bora to the Supreme Court.
What the Supreme Court Examined
The top court ordered a fresh medical assessment by a special board at AIIMS, New Delhi. After detailed examinations, the board found that Bora had 57% disability, well above the benchmark required under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
With this report in hand, the judges revisited the entire matter - not just from a technical angle, but from the lens of fairness and dignity.
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Court Observations
The bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K.V. Viswanathan made it clear that denying employment due to disability goes against both the law and the spirit of the Constitution.
“The principle of reasonable accommodation is not charity,” the court observed, noting that it is a legal right flowing from equality and the right to life.
The judges underlined that flexibility is key. One rule cannot fit all when it comes to people with disabilities. The court also spoke about the special challenges faced by women with disabilities, calling this a case where gender and disability intersect, making discrimination even harsher.
During the hearing, the bench interacted with Bora personally. “We found her to be a lady of grit and determination,” the judges recorded, adding that her struggle showed why technical excuses like expiry of a recruitment panel cannot defeat substantive justice.
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Focus on Reasonable Accommodation
A major part of the judgment is devoted to explaining “reasonable accommodation” - simple changes at the workplace that help a person with disability perform on equal terms.
The court said this could mean providing assistive tools, adjusting duties, or offering alternative roles. Denying such support, the judges warned, amounts to discrimination.
“Without reasonable accommodation, a person with disability is forced to navigate a world which excludes them by design,” the bench said.
The Court’s Decision
Setting aside the Calcutta High Court’s Division Bench order, the Supreme Court directed Coal India to create a supernumerary post and appoint Sujata Bora as a Management Trainee.
The court also asked the company to give her a suitable desk job, with proper computer facilities designed for ease of use. It recommended that she be posted at North Eastern Coalfields in Assam, closer to her home region.
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Invoking its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, the bench said the order was passed to ensure “complete justice” in the peculiar facts of the case.
The appeal was allowed, bringing to an end a legal battle that began with a rejection notice and concluded with a clear message - disability cannot disqualify ability.
Case Title: Sujata Bora vs Coal India Limited & Ors.
Case No.: Civil Appeal No. 120 of 2026
Case Type: Service Matter / Disability Rights
Decision Date: 13 January 2026
