Even with 3% reservation in education and employment sector in Telengana, several persons with disability (PWD) have been struggling to get admissions in educational institute and jobs in government sector.
“In Telangana only 1% of the total PWD population are employed. Though the government has given reservation, but the system lacks implementation,” says Hari Babu, director of Centre for Action on Disabled Rights and Empowerment (CADRE), an NGO working for welfare of PWDs.
The government, on Wednesday, reportedly identified the issue and has decided to take steps to implement reservations.
According to Deccan Chronicle, the officials refuse to give admission in colleges and government jobs citing different reasons, alleged the representatives of various associations of the physically challenged.
“This has been the case for several years, disability is a stigma in the society. In the private sector, there are nearly zero opportunities for PWD,” said Hari.
He also said that private companies prefer not hiring people with disabilities as they need extra facilities and care, and it is the same in the education institutes.
“The main problem is education. There are several illiterate persons with disabilities in Telangana in rural area specially but there is no separate department to look after the issue. In districts, the department has been merged with child and women development,” said Hari.
The situation is worse for the persons with mental disabilites.
“At least there are government hostels for visually impaired students, but there are no such facilities for mentally ill children. Most of them get abandoned by their parents. Disability is treated as a burden. This is because there is very less scope for their financial independence,” M S Reddy, Secretary of Sadhana Institute for the Intellectually Impaired, a Hyderabad-based NGO which works for the welfare of mentally ill children.
School admission has been one of the most difficult part for parents of disabled children, he adds, as regular schools refuse to give admission to children citing lack of facilities for them.
“My son is suffering from autism. Getting him admitted in a school was extremely difficult for me. He had to change three schools as special schools said that he was ahead of the students who studied with them but regular schools wouldn't give him admission,” says Yamini, a mother of 17-year-old Aditya Jonnalagadd, who was diagnosed with autism when he was three years old.
Nearly 60% of the PWD population in Telangana are qualified to get a job but are unemployed, due to social stigma, says Hari Babu.
“Government is providing facilities to minorities and other sectors of the society, but disabled people and their rights are neglected in Telangana. Government has allocated Rs 1500 for disabled pensioners but no one cares beyond that,” says Hari.
One of the main problems, Hari says, is that disability certificates are difficult to obtain from the department concerned. This makes it difficult for them to avail reservations in educational insitiutes and the government sector. The posts are then allocated to other catergories, taking away opportunities meant for persons with disability.