Kerala’s Minister for General Education, V. Sivankutty, recently disclosed a concerning statistic: a mere 1,400 vacancies have been reported by aided school managers for appointments designated for differently-abled individuals. This number stands in stark contrast to the approximately 7,000 positions that should have been set aside, as per the Samanwaya roster.
During a press conference held in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, Minister Sivankutty strongly suggested that certain school managers might be intentionally obstructing the reservation policy intended for the differently-abled.
The Minister further elaborated that senior officials from the General Education Department had engaged in recent discussions with associations representing aided school managements. He recalled the High Court’s directive, which stipulated that until all special needs appointments were fulfilled across aided schools in the state, those filling vacancies between November 18, 2018, and November 8, 2021, would receive provisional appointments with a regular pay scale. Conversely, individuals appointed to vacancies arising after November 8, 2021, would be engaged on a daily wage basis.
Minister Sivankutty confirmed that once the backlog of special needs appointments is cleared and the appointees receive official approval, or if procedures are completed in line with Section 34 (2) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, these ongoing appointments can be regularized by education officers, effective from their initial appointment date, following a thorough verification process.
The government, he asserted, has taken comprehensive measures to ensure that all benefits are extended to those currently holding provisional or daily wage appointments.
He also clarified that legal counsel indicated the Supreme Court’s March judgment, which permitted appointments to non-reserved vacancies, applies exclusively to aided schools operating under the Nair Service Society’s purview, and not universally.
In a proactive move, district-level committees have been established, as mandated by the Supreme Court, to expedite special needs appointments. These committees are tasked with providing eligible differently-abled candidates to school managements from lists supplied by employment exchanges. Instructions have been issued to finalize the initial round of appointments by October 25. Any grievances related to these appointments should be directed to these committees. Furthermore, any unresolved complaints will be addressed at a state-level adalat scheduled for November 10, with applications for the adalat to be submitted to the Director of General Education by October 30.
Minister Sivankutty concluded by alleging that any demonstrations by aided school managements resisting these special needs appointments are politically motivated.