Appointments of more than 2500 special educators for Delhi government and MCD run schools will not happen any soon. This is because the advertisement given by the government did not mention the reservation for candidates belonging to disability group.

Hundreds of students with special needs are studying in nearly 1000 Delhi government and 1800 MCD run schools without trained teachers. The advertisement for these posts under the education department and for other 64 departments has been scrapped by the high court following a petition filed against it.

The high court in its order in September 2009 had directed the state government and local bodies to ensure each school must have at least 2 special teachers and necessary aids and reading material, all to be provided in six months. But it failed to implement the directions.

On court’s intervention, the Delhi government and MCD agreed to appoint at least one teacher in each school. In October 2011, Delhi subordinate services selection board (DSSSB) advertised for 858 posts of special educators through advertisement No. 1/2011 for Directorate of education, Delhi government along with 64 other departments. This year DSSSB advertised for 1610 posts for MCD through advertisement No.1/2012.

But all India confederation of the blind filed a petition against the first advertisement saying that it did not mention the reservation for the blind and thus it should be scrapped. During the hearing of the case the government accepted its mistake and high court rejected the advertisement No.1/2011 in June.

DSSSB then filed an additional affidavit in August in which they referred to the orders passed by the high court in June and said that the court has scrapped the advertisement which includes the posts of special education teachers in Delhi government schools and no appointment can happen.

The examination for this post was conducted by the DSSSB on March 4, 2012 and the result of Part 1 (preliminary examination) was also declared.

Senior high court lawyer Ashok Agarwal has now filed a petition saying that the advertisement No. 1/2011 for 858 posts of special educators in DoE had taken care of providing reservation to the candidates belonging to disability group in accordance with the provision of Persons with disability (equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) act, 1995. However, this fact was not brought to the notice of this court. So the advertisement of 858 posts of special educators should not be scrapped.