Bhubaneswar, Sept. 8: The state government is conducting an 18-day residential coaching programme to facilitate the recruitment of differently-abled persons in government organisations.

The pre-recruitment coaching on Odisha Teacher's Eligibility Test (OTET) for persons with disabilities has been started at National Career Service Centre for Differently-abled at Gandamunda in the city.

About 32 people have opted for the training programme, out of which 24 are male and 8 are female. Among them 20 persons are visually impaired, 11 persons have locomotor disabilities and one person has hearing impairment.

The trainees have been provided coaching, accommodation inside the campus, food, learning materials and Braille slates have been provided to visually impaired persons at free of cost.

Principal secretary Niten Chandra and Mansi Nimbhal, director of social security and empowerment of persons with disability department, inaugurated the programme on Thursday.

The principal secretary advised the trainees to properly utilise the facilities extended by the government to ensure the achievement of the programme. He said all doubts related to the five subjects under the OTET syllabus would be answered by the concerned faculty and resolved on the same day.

'Efforts are being made to make this programme successful as the newly enacted Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 mandates the reservation of four per cent for persons with disabilities in government organisations,' said Mansi Nimbhal.

She said in addition to coaching and guidance by expert resource persons, self-study, hard work and peer learning were important to qualify the examination.

The state government is taking steps to increase representation of persons with disabilities in educational institutions. Besides, steps are being taken to increase their number in government organisations. Free pre-recruitment training will be provided to differently-abled people for various posts in government sectors, including banks, railway, insurance and other competitive examinations.

'The representation of persons with disabilities in government organisations is quite higher in other parts of the country but here in Odisha it is very low. We have to provide them with better training opportunities to make sure that they at least get a chance to perform,' said Nimbhal.

Sixteen persons with disabilities qualified Odisha Civil Services Examination last year. However, a social activist felt a few persons were qualifying national-level recruitment examinations from Odisha if compared to other states.