Where a colour vision test genuinely decides something, where it does not, and the rulings that changed the answer. Every line links to its source.
The Real Rules
People give up courses and careers on something a relative told them. This is what the published rules say — and where they say nothing at all.
| Field | Is colour vision required? | What the rule says |
|---|---|---|
| Defence & armed forces | Normally required | Colour perception grades apply: CP-1 for the Air Force, CP-2 or CP-1 for the Navy depending on the role, and at least CP-3 for the Army. Grades and roles vary, so check the notification for the specific post. Vision requirements for government jobs |
| Railways — safety categories | Normally required | Candidates in medical classes A-1, A-2, A-3 and B-1 are tested for colour perception, and failing it is a ground for rejection. This covers loco pilots, guards and signal operators. Other railway categories are not tested the same way. Vision requirements for government jobs |
| Aviation — pilots, ATC | Normally required | Roles that turn on split-second colour recognition — flight crew and air traffic control — require normal colour vision. Vision requirements for government jobs |
| Driving licence | Allowed since 2020 | The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways amended Forms 1 and 1A of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 by GSR 401(E) dated 24 June 2020, so citizens with mild to medium colour blindness can obtain a driving licence. Restrictions remain only for severe colour blindness. Press Information Bureau |
| NEET & medical courses | Not a blanket bar | There is no single rule. Requirements differ by course and by college, so the eligibility notification for your specific institution is what counts. Separately, the Supreme Court has upheld admission rights for candidates with visual impairment under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Careers360 — Supreme Court verdict |
| Film & television (FTII) | Cannot be excluded | The Supreme Court directed the Film and Television Institute of India to admit candidates with colour blindness to all of its courses, and to provide assistance where required, rather than shutting them out. Drishti IAS — policy analysis |
| Most other jobs & exams | No requirement | The large majority of examinations and posts set no colour vision requirement at all. If you were refused without one being published, that is worth challenging — ask for the rule in writing. Vision requirements for government jobs |
Published Figures
Prevalence varies a great deal between studies and regions, which is part of the problem: without routine screening, nobody knows who is affected until something is refused.
India carries the largest number of colour blind people of any country, and most cases are never diagnosed.
Colour blindness statistics, 2026Prevalence measured at a tertiary-care pre-employment screening centre.
Pre-employment screening studyAcross six North Indian populations, male prevalence ranged from 5.26% to 11.36%, and female prevalence from 1.15% to 3.03%.
ScienceDirect — six North Indian populationsPre-employment screening at a tertiary healthcare facility; no female participant in the sample was affected.
IJMPR cross-sectional studyWhat Changed
Several doors people are still told are closed were opened years ago. These are the ones that matter most.
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act requires workplaces to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee to hear harassment complaints. If your workplace has no committee, that is itself a failure of the Act.
India CodeThe RPwD Act, operational from 15 June 2017, gives India its current framework of disability rights, including the principle of reasonable accommodation — the duty to adapt rather than exclude.
India CodeGSR 401(E), 24 June 2020: citizens with mild to medium colour blindness became eligible for a driving licence, with restrictions kept only for severe colour blindness.
Press Information BureauThe Supreme Court directed the Film and Television Institute of India to open all of its courses to candidates with colour blindness, and to adapt the curriculum rather than exclude them.
Drishti IASThe Supreme Court granted relief to a person with colour blindness refused appointment as an Assistant Engineer, applying the reasonable accommodation principle in the RPwD Act and noting the barriers the Act’s conditions can create.
LiveLawThe Supreme Court has upheld the right of candidates with visual impairment who qualify NEET to be admitted under the RPwD Act, including the disability reservation it provides for.
Careers360Where to Get Help
A rights page that lists only its own number is an advertisement. These are the statutory routes, alongside ours.
The National Legal Services Authority provides free legal assistance through State and District Legal Services Authorities, including dedicated assistance for women.
nalsa.gov.inA national helpline for women in distress, offering immediate support and referral.
Call 181The statutory office that hears complaints about deprivation of rights under the RPwD Act.
ccpd.nic.inFor anything above, or anything not on this page. Free, confidential, and you can stay anonymous.
Talk to usIn distress or facing harassment right now? Call +91 99050 73802 — you will be heard, and you will not be judged.
India’s first non-profit dedicated to colour vision deficiency — now also working against colorism, for social justice and PoSH compliance, and for the students who need motivation and career guidance.
