When it comes to providing opportunities for disabled people, the government
of Kerala has always been a step ahead. Be it disability pension, educational
scholarships, marriage assistance or unemployment allowance, most of their
schemes are implemented well.
In another major move, the state government has now decided to reserve
4% jobs for disabled people in government-aided educational
institutions.
K K Shailaja, Minister for Social Justice, Women and
Child Development, has confirmed this to the media.
According to The Persons of Disabilities Act, 1995, there was a
3% quota in government sector jobs for disabled people. There
was no mention of the types of disabilities eligible and this was creating
confusion. Only seven types of were highlighted in the Act.
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 has
expanded the scope with 21 types of disabilities. Authorities in
Kerala are looking into the posts to which disabled people, according to
their disabilities and physical functioning, can be appointed.
So what is a government-aided institution? These are institutions owned by
private management, but are supported by the government. Any institution that
gets this aid must provide job opportunities. Currently, there are 290 such
institutions in Kerala.
We are trying to implement this as soon as possible after identifying what
all jobs can be provided according to a disabled person’s functional
abilities and physical requirements. This new step from Kerala government
is going to open doors for more people with disabilities. This is truly a
historical move. The works are already on and we will be monitoring it as
well- Dr Mohammed Asheel, Executive Director, Kerala Social
Security Mission.
Even though the RPWD Act, 2016 says that 5% jobs in the private
sector are to be earmarked for people with disabilities, this is not
enforced. This leaves it to the discretion of every employer.
“In most of the aided schools, visually impaired people are hired in as
teachers. In fact, it is quite rare that a wheelchair user gets a job as a
teacher. There are many factors to it. One of the main reasons is lack of
accessibility in schools. When a wheelchair user is hired as a teacher, the
campus must be disabled friendly. Most of the times, schools do not have that
kind of infrastructure. Hence, they need to start from the basics to make
sure that disabled people are provided equal opportunities”, says
Jomy Joseph, a leading disability rights activist from
Kerala.
ALSO READ: Sign language interpreters at job interviews plays a crucial role.
Here is why.
Source: https://newzhook.com/story/20731
