Shimla: The State Disability Commissioner has ordered an inquiry against the Principal of Government College, Kullu on the issue of alleged discrimination against the visually impaired students in the examinations.
The Principal Secretary of Education has been directed to submit an inquiry report within 15 days.
Ajai Srivastava, expert member of the State Advisory Board on Disability and chairman of Umang Foundation had made a complaint in this regard.
In his complaint, Srivastava had alleged that the principal was violating the guidelines for conducting the examinations for persons with disabilities issued by the government of India, the State Government, the UGC and HP University from time to time.
Srivastava claimed that some visually impaired students in BA final year had shared their grievances with Ajai Srivastava and requested him to solve them. He holds the additional charge of nodal officer for disability affairs at HP University and also happens to be an expert member of the State Disability Board.
It was alleged that the principal had not prepared a pool of scribes to write in the examinations of visually impaired candidates. In this situation, as per the rules, he had to allow the examinees to engage the scribes of their choice, irrespective of the scribe’s qualifications. But he was forcing them to bring the scribe one step junior to them. He was also compelling them to engage a “permanent” scribe to write in all the papers.
Ajai Srivastava has demanded the Disability Commissioner to issue fresh directions to all the educational institutions to strictly comply with the direction of the government and not harass the disabled examinees.
