---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: J L Kaul <[email protected]> Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2013 14:19:42 +0800 (SGT) Subject: special educator case
Relief for Hundreds of Visually Impaired Special Educators Looking for Employment: Important CCPD Judgment in a Case Filed by AICB Dear Colleagues, It is a well-known fact that the blind and the low vision children studying in inclusive schools are in most need of support from Special Educators trained to teach them. The irony is that though hundreds of visually impaired persons hold diplomas/degrees in special education and are competent to work as Special Educators, they are often denied employment because as per the 2007 identification list of MSJE, the post of Special Educator is not identified for this disability category. As AICB had received a number of complaints from the blind and the low vision persons in this respect, we filed a case in the Court of the CCPD contending that as per a notification of May 2001, a post with a different nomenclature but having similar functions to an identified post, is also considered to have been identified. Therefore, we argued that the post of the Special Educator, in effect, is identified for the visually impaired and, reservation and employment cannot be denied to them. During the case hearing on Monday, 17th June, 2013, our Vice President, Dr. Anil Aneja, while strongly arguing this case in favour of the blind and the low vision, put forward many weighty grounds. In addition to the above contentions and among various arguments, he contended that the RCI is the statutory body to govern professional standards in the field of disability and the RCI conducts only disability specific courses in Special Education. The visually impaired, like other persons are registered as “Special Teachers to Teach the Handicapped” in category 5 of the CompositeRehabilitation Register of RCI. This is the only category of CRR in which the special educators are registered, and thus, certified and registered as qualified to be Special Educators, the visually impaired cannot be denied their right of employment and reservation on the post of Special Educator. Further, Dr. Aneja stated that there is no course in Special Education which is designed for educating a person to teach students belonging to all disability categories. Therefore, the assumption that a Special Educator can teach students with various disabilities, is erroneous, illegal and therefore wrong. Upholding our contentions, the Chief Commissioner for Persons With Disabilities, Mr. P.K. Pincha passed a landmark order soon after the hearing in the Court itself. He held that as per the Principles enshrined in the said 2001 notification, the post of Special Educator is deemed to be identified for the visually impaired, and therefore, he directed the Department of Education, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, to consider identifying this post for the visually impaired within a period of two months and report the action taken to the Office of the CCPD. Mr. Pincha further directed that even if a vacancy is not reserved for the visually impaired, they cannot be denied their right to compete in the open selection, a practice which was hitherto being followed by the Delhi Government and was a barrier for scores of blind and low vision persons. While we express our indebtedness to the CCPD, we are sure that the entire visual impairment sector would join us in welcoming this judgment which will benefit hundreds of visually impaired persons and also the blind and low vision children studying in inclusive schools. With Kind Regards J. L. Kaul Secretary General All India Confederation of the Blind Mob: 9810684208 website: www.aicb.in -- BE HAPPY AND MAKE OTHERS HAPPY M.Muthu Selvi Officer, Allahabad Bank and Secretary, All India Confederation of the blind. Email: [email protected] Skype: muthump2007 -- With Regards, M Muthu Selvi, Officer, Allahabad bank and Secretary, All India Confederation of the Blind. Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
