Strongly condemning “an improper and insensitive” affidavit filed by the then School Education Secretary in connection with filling up of lecturer vacancies by the visually challenged, the Madras High Court said the official should be present in the court on April 1.
It also directed the present Secretary to file an affidavit explaining the number of vacancies existed from the beginning as per the roster, the number reserved for the visually impaired and the number of vacancies filled by special recruitment.
Originally, the Tamil Nadu Teachers Association of the Visually Challenged, represented by its president, N.K.Chokalingam, filed a petition in 2009, seeking to declare as illegal Clause 7 (Physically Challenged category) of a prospectus issued by the Teachers Recruitment Board for recruitment of Lecturers in the Directorate of Teachers Education, Research and Training and the District Institute of Teachers Training.
The provision violated Section 33 of the Persons with Disability Act, the association said and sought a direction to the authorities to reserve one per cent of the vacancies of lecturers for visually impaired.
As per the provision, visually and hearing impaired were not eligible to apply under the category.
Counter filed
In a counter, the then School Education Secretary, D.Sabitha, said activity-based learning method of teaching was adopted.
Children were being motivated and encouraged to work with activity cards. Field trips were required.
Experience had shown that visually impaired were not able to cope with this work. The First Bench comprising Chief Justice S.K.Kaul and Justice M.M.Sundresh said the counter treated the visually impaired as not normal persons. These were only excuses to evade and not implement the Act provisions.
Listing the matter for April 1, it said the compliance report should be filed two days prior to the next date of hearing.
