After a case of alleged harassment of visually impaired students came to light in Kullu district, a social organization working for the disabled in Himachal Pradesh has sought an inquiry against the college principal.
Umang Foundation chairman Ajai Srivastava said a case of alleged harassment of visually impaired people has to light in Government College, Kullu. The college principal Roshal Lal has refused to comply with the guidelines for conducting examinations for persons with disabilities and orders of the Additional Chief Secretary, Social Justice, and Empowerment department of the state.
In his complaint, Srivastava said the principal of Kullu College has not formed any pool of scribes for the visually impaired students. The Union Ministry of Education, Social Justice and Empowerment ministry, and state government along with HP University, all have categorically directed that till the pool of scribes is formed, the old guidelines shall be implemented.
It means if the scribe is not provided by the educational institution and the examinee is compelled to engage his own scribe and there will be no bar of qualification for the scribe. The recently launched Disability Policy of HP University also underlines the same rule which is binding on colleges. The eligible students are also entitled to change their scribe as per their convenience, he said.
He further stated that when the visually impaired students provided the relevant notification of HP University, he refused to implement it. But the principal has strictly directed them to bring a permanent scribe to write all the examinations.
He urged the State Disability Commissioner to initiate an inquiry against the erring principal and take strict action as per the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and issue a fresh direction to all educational institutions to comply with the disability laws in letter and spirit.