Aditi Kumari (8) was denied admission to a popular Hinoo-based CBSE-affiliated school in Ranchi in April this year. Her fault, she is polio-affected. The school's reason, they don't have special educators to teach her.

Aditi is not alone in the state who faced such discrimination due to her physical disability but many others including three more in Jamshedpur.

As per the Jharkhand Disabilities Commission none of the 40,000 CBSE schools across the state have special educators as per the board provisions.

But, now the CBSE-affiliated schools, which will fail to appoint special educators, will have to face music. Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), through a letter dated June 8, has issued a strict directive to appoint special educators for the children with disabilities in all its affiliated schools across the state from this academic session or face disaffiliation.

Jharkhand Disabilities Commission received the letter from the assistant secretary of CBSE on Tuesday and the circular will be distributed to all the schools next week.

Disabilities commissioner, Jharkhand, Satish Chandra said it was mandatory for every CBSE-affiliated school, as per the letter, to appoint special educators. "If they violate the directive, strict action would be taken as per the affiliation bye-laws and other rules of the CBSE board. Violation may lead to disaffiliation of the school concerned," the state disabilities commissioner said.

The disabilities commission had informed the CBSE board about such rampant discrimination in its affiliated schools in Jharkhand last month following a complaint by Jharkhand Viklang Jan Forum.

Coordinator of the forum Mukesh Kanchan said two CBSE schools of Jamshedpur and one of Ranchi had denied four disabled children admissions as there were no special educators.

Hence, Kanchan had written a letter to the disabilities commissioner requesting appointment of special educators last month.

Kanchan said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas (collective efforts inclusive growth) would remain unfulfilled even if one child was devoid of education due to absence of special educators.

On been apprised about the CBSE directive, principal of Jawahar Vidya Mandir (JVM), Shyamali, A.K. Singh said their school did not have any physically-disabled children. "We have some special children and our teachers give them extra attention. If CBSE has made it compulsory, we will like see the circular," said Singh.