Fill up teaching vacancies at the school for visually impaired: HC

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed the AAP government to "forthwith" appoint 10 contract teachers to vacant posts in a school here for visually impaired boys and provide the students with "assistive devices" like audio recorders to help them study.

The direction by a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao came on a PIL claiming there was 50 per cent vacancy of teaching staff in the school and that its building, which also had hostel facilities, was in a poor condition. 

The petition by the National Federation of the Blind, which works for the rights of visually impaired persons, said the sanctioned teaching strength of the Government Senior Secondary School for Boys (Blind) in north Delhi's Kingsway Camp was 20, but there were only 10 teachers, of which six were on contract. 

The plea also said the school was functioning without a principal for over two years and the repair of the building was taking time. 

The Delhi government said the rules for inducting teachers on a regular basis would take time to be finalised. 

In view of the government's submission, the bench said, "if your rules will take time, then appoint 10 guest teachers forthwith". 

The court in its order directed that the guest teachers be appointed immediately by conducting "walk-in interviews" in view of the "urgency" and the rules for recruiting teachers on a regular basis be finalised before the next academic session. 

It also ordered that "assistive devices be forthwith provided" to the students, particularly students of classes 9 to 12. 

The bench directed that a report should be filed before the next date of hearing on October 27, indicating the number of kits made available and the time frame within which it would be provided to the remaining students. 

With regard to the hostel facilities, the court asked the government to indicate if a vacant building is available in the vicinity of the school. 

According to the petition, two portions of the building had fallen this year. 

It also claimed that the school lacked teaching staff, books and, most importantly, audio devices, like recorders to help the students understand what was being taught.