In a ruling that shut the door on debate and left no room for blurred boundaries, the Delhi High Court has given full backing to government rules that bar candidates with colour vision issues from joining the Central Armed Police Forces and the Assam Rifles. The judgment also sealed the fate of more than a dozen CISF probationary constables whose services were cut short after medical tests flagged colour-vision defects.
A Bench of two judges examined the challenge against the 2013 guidelines—rules designed with battlefield clarity in mind—and found no fault lines. The Court noted that personnel who cannot reliably distinguish colours may misread uniforms in high-stakes situations, jeopardising not just missions but lives. That, it said, is reason enough for strict visual standards.
The petitioners, recruited in 2015 and initially declared ‘fit,’ ran into trouble only after joining training. A colour-blindness test at CISF medical facilities brought an abrupt end to their probation. Their appeals under internal rules were dismissed, driving them to the High Court.
But the Court stood firm: probation is not a guaranteed ticket to permanence. Suitability can be reassessed, and if the organisation concludes a candidate is not fit for the job’s demands, the law does not shield the probationer.
Emphasising the expertise of CISF’s medical practitioners, the judges stressed that those entrusted with safeguarding national security are best placed to evaluate the visual acuity of recruits. The Court found no hint of ill-will or procedural wrongdoing in the medical assessments.
With that, the terminations were upheld.
However, the door wasn’t closed entirely. The Court allowed the former recruits to approach the CISF seeking consideration for other roles. Officials were directed to review such requests within ten weeks.
Thus, while the path to combat uniforms remains shut for those with colour-vision limitations, the possibility of alternative service within the organisation may yet offer a new direction.
