Teachers debate filling posts for handicapped

There seems to be an existing bias against the teaching capabilities of physically challenged candidates,in the Science departments of Hindu College of DU.

On June 3,the teachers-in-charge of four of its Science Departments — Soma Gorai from Zoology,Monika Ram from Botany,Varun Sharma from Chemistry and Santa Kruz from Physics — wrote a letter to the acting principal S Chowdhary informing him that they would not be able to accommodate physically challenged candidates for teaching posts “because the departments involve experimentation in the curriculum…”. A copy of the letter is with Newsline.

After realising the letter was against High Court guidelines,two teachers wrote three days later,saying they will follow all rules relating to PH teaching posts in the university.

Kruz said: “The letter was written on the assumption that physically challenged teachers may not be able to conduct experiments. I later realised my folly and wrote back that I have no objection regarding PH category recruitment.”

“It was our internal matter and we have resolved it,” S Chowdhary said.