Himachal Pradesh School Education Board improvised its disability norms

Himachal Pradesh School Education Board improvised its disability norms as it was caught indulged in blunder by imposing written examination condition on the visually impaired and handicapped students by themselves. Expert member of State Disability Advisory Board and President of Umang Foundation Prof. Ajay Srivastava said that he had complained to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on March 10, expressing strong objection to the notification issued by the State Education Board on February 4 last. He had said that the board had imposed arbitrary conditions on visually impaired forcing them to undergo hand-writing examination in violation of decision of the Delhi High Court, flouting the strict orders issued by the Central and State Governments. Earlier the board had rejected the orders of the central and state government and declared arbitrary disability policy. He said that according to the High Court’s decision, the Board of Education should have prepared a panel of writers for the candidates who are unable to write by hand.  If the board provides writers to eligible differently-abled candidates from its panel, then its educational qualification should not be more than that of the candidate.  If this is not the case, then the candidate is free to bring any person with any educational qualification as a writer in the examination. The Board of Education issued an arbitrary decree on 4 February that the writer should be one class junior to the candidate.  Not only this, it should be from the school of the examinee and change of writer will be allowed only once during the examinations. Governor to Prof.  Ajay Srivastava had requested for justice for visually impaired and other handicapped children.  After this, there was a stir in the education board and in a hurried meeting, the illegal provisions of the disability policy were removed.  Now if the education board or school does not provide the writer in the examination, the candidate can take the help of the writer of any educational qualification.  There will also be a facility to change the writer more than once. Pro.  Ajay Srivastava said that there are still many illegal provisions in the disability policy of the Board of Education.  He has sent the details of this to the board and said that if the disabled children do not get justice, they will file a public interest litigation in the High Court.