Dimapur: The court of the state commissioner for persons with disabilities (SCPD) in Nagaland has directed the regional director, National Institute of Open School (NIOS), Guwahati, to ensure that the students with disabilities are not subjected to discrimination or harassment during examinations.
It said training and sensitisation programmes for staff members, especially the centre superintendents and invigilators, should be conducted so that the students with disabilities do not face any discrimination or harassment at the examination centres.
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“It is the recommendation of this court to the regional director to take all necessary steps and actions to educate those persons in the field, especially the centre superintendents and invigilators, in their dealings with students with disabilities and the provisions made available for them during examinations, by conducting training and sensitisation programmes,” state commissioner for persons with disabilities Diethono Nakhro said in the order on Friday.
A complaint had been filed in the court of the SCPD by the principal of Deaf Biblical Ministry, School for the Deaf, Dimapur, stating that one of her students with hearing impairment, while appearing for her secondary examination through the NIOS, faced discrimination at the examination centre on April 23, 2022.
Though the case was withdrawn by the complainant due to want of necessary details of the opposite parties, the court was of the view that the grievances must be addressed.
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The order said experts on the topic may be approached for conducting such programmes which should be carried out at regular intervals and not just a one-time programme so that incidents such as the present case may be avoided in the future.
It said as per the letter/depositions/statements of the complainant, such callous incidents have happened in the past through the students with disabilities carry legitimate documents or letter of permission issued by the regional director, NIOS, Guwahati, to provide them with extra time and caregiver support during examinations.
But the centre superintendents and invigilators, for reasons best known to them, do not acknowledge such cases, the order noted.
“These incidents reflect upon the ignorance of the centre superintendents and invigilators, the order, a copy of which will be issued to the regional director, NIOS, Guwahati, vide registered post,” it said.