The country faces a major dearth of trained professionals who can provide basic educational and vocational skills to the disabled population, the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) said Thursday.
At the inauguration of a two-day national meet on disability in the capital, J.P. Singh, executive head of the RCI, said the country needs 152,000 trained professionals to impart basic and vocational training to the disabled in India.
“The number of trained manpower that we have registered is in thousands, but we need in lakhs. There is a big gap between the numbers,” Singh said.
The number of professionals registered with the RCI, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, is 48,000, while the demand is for 200,000 — thus a gap of 152,000 trained professionals, officials pointed out.
Ian Cardozo, chairman of the RCI, said: “Many NGOs working in the field of disability are in desperate need for trained human resource. This is an important issue that needs to be addressed immediately.”
V.N. Pillai, vice chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), who also participated in the meet, said: “It is important that we shift our focus from just raising funds (for this sector) to addressing the need for the right talent to ensure effective implementation of schemes for the disabled.”
According to government estimates, the country has approximately 20-30 million disabled people. But NGOs estimate the number to be much higher, at around 60-70 million
PLIGHT OF THE DISABLED
Hon’ble Prime Minister, addressing a conference of state ministers of welfare and social justice on 7th September, 2009, expressed his displeasure at the progress of the ambitious Public-Private Partnership Scheme to generate employment for the disabled.
2. Ironically, the performance in the Public Sector too has not been any bright. The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 came into effect on 1.1.1996. The Act made 3% reservations in identified posts for persons with disabilities in all Government establishments, including bodies substantially funded by this Government, to provide them equal opportunities and also to ensure their full participation. These vacancies were equally allocated to three identified types of disabilities viz.(i) blindness and low vision;(ii) hearing impairment; (iii) locomotor disability or cerebral palsy, but were interchangeable in case of non-availability of suitable candidates in any of these disabilities. There are indications that the establishments have not been fair. Over the years, unfilled vacancies in one form of disability have not been transferred to other form as per the directions given in the Act. Rather these vacancies were either carried forward or transferred to the non-reserved category, thereby blatantly depriving the disabled their full share of equal opportunities. Besides, the appropriate Governments are given the authority of exemption, taking away large chunk of vacancies out of their reach, making 3% reservation nothing but farce.
3. I was borne with multiple congenital deformities. She has been in incessant body pains and had to undergo continuous medical treatment, all through her school and college days, which affected her grades. She passed her B.Com. Exam from Delhi University, in 1991 and obtained Diploma in System Management from NIIT in 1993. The struggle only strengthened her determination. She did several private jobs but was constrained to travel long distances. The jobs she got were not stable, salaries offered were quite low. Unable to get a suitable private job, I persuaded her to apply for disability certificate. She got this certificate on 20.5.2006, assessing her with permanent disability of 48%. Thereafter, she has been trying for a job in government establishments but her experience here too has been frustrating as may be observed from the following instances.
i) She applied under a Scheme sponsored by the Income Tax, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance; Government of India to train 5000 graduates to become Tax Return Preparers. The scheme, though entirely funded from Government sources, made no relaxations/ reservations for persons with disability, as per the PwD Act. My daughter lost this good opportunity because she was slightly over-aged. The matter was immediately brought the notice of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, made responsible to look into such matters The Chief Commissioner issued a show-cause notice quite in time but the said Department delayed the proceeding to gain time to complete the selection process and training to make the matter fait accompli. The Chief Commissioner , in his order dated 1/13.6.2007, interalia, accepted that the provision of relaxation and reservations for persons with disabilities need to be made in such schemes of the Government that can lead to self-employment and development of entrepreneur skills so that they get equal opportunities and benefits but this order only became a formality because neither the respondent nor the Ministry of Social Justice seems to have taken any action.
ii) Around this time SBI, PNB also made massive recruitments of clerks but my daughter missed these opportunities too because she fell slightly short of percentage marks required for eligibility. It needs to be looked into whether these Banks are observing the PwD Act, as clarified in DOPT OM dated 29.12.2005. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, in recent times, too has made lot of recruitments but it seems that it is yet to find any suitable posts for persons with disabilities. Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Subordinate Selection Board, Employees State Insurance Corporation, advertised the posts of clerks, requiring compulsory speed in typing, difficult for persons with hand muscular problems. The Income Tax Department advertised the post of Tax Assistants, requiring high level of data entry speed. LIC Housing Finance Corporation, promoted by LIC, a Government sponsored body, advertised the post of customer care executives but did not make any relaxation, claiming to be a non-government body. My daughter, though qualified could not apply because she exceeded the upper age limit.
iii) My daughter finally got a job with the IDBI Bank, effective 26.11.2007, through an all India test conducted by the Bank. This job of an Executive initially was on contract, on year to year basis, subject to satisfactory performance and availability of vacancies, to be absorbed in the service of the Bank as Assistant Managers over the period of 4 years, through a selection process. Having struggled a lot, this job was a good opportunity for my daughter. She worked really very hard and was performing very well but was abruptly terminated on 25.11.2008 because she complained against the Branch Head at the Branch she was working, who have been unnecessarily troubling her the last three months. This matter is before the Chief Commissioner of Persons with disabilities, raised on 24.2.2009.
4. Because of these unfortunate happenings, my daughter who is still very keen to work has become very much frustrated. She is 39 years old and still not married. I have two daughters; the elder is married living separately. I and my wife are senior citizens, getting older and also have several old age ailments. We are worried about her. Both of us are pensioners. There is a provision in pension rules that unmarried and unemployed crippled or disabled daughter, irrespective of age, can be nominated to receive our family pension after our demise, but this requires a Medical Board of Government Hospital to certify that disability is such as to render her unable to earn a living. I am not sure how can I get this certificate but the facts are that my daughter at her age and her marital status there is no possibility for her to live on her own. I need guidance.
Above letter was wriiten by my father. Presently I am fighting a case against IDBI Bank
I am Shalini Sethi, I am a disabled person, was working with IDBI bank & terminated unjustifiably & with harassment. I have filed a case to chief commissoner disailities since feb. 24 NOW MY HEARING is on 22nd march But senior officers Mr.Rajesh(branch head ,Rajouri Garden, west Delhi ,Mr.Sehgal (cluster head ) & Mr. K. P. Nair( HR HEAD) are after my life.. my phone is also tapped. please contact me urgently I have heard about your fight for justice . I have full proof & I am living with fear of life. MY PH. NO. 0119311275958.. My whole family is in danger.kindly help me. Sir I am 39 years old with almost nil opportunities for job in govt. sector.
shalini sethi
B-1-B, MIG Flats,
Mayapuri,
NEW Delhi-110064