Bhubaneswar: After Plus Two and Plus Three colleges, the state government has now directed for reservation of five per cent seats for differently-abled students for admission into technical and professional courses in various educational institutions.
Earlier, there was three per cent reservation for physically-challenged students in the technical education in the state. The new directive will be implemented from the 2018-2019 academic session. The move will be implemented under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
"The directive has been issued to the concerned authorities and they have been asked to follow it strictly," said a senior official.
The state government is taking steps to increase representations of persons with disabilities in educational institutions.Recently, the government declared to exempt differently-abled persons from paying fees in government and government-aided educational institutions.
"Students with more than 75 per cent will be exempted from tuition fees and examination and certificate fees for pursuing higher education," said higher education minister Ananta Das.
This apart, measures are being taken to increase their number in government organisations. Free pre-recruitment training is being provided to differently-abled persons for various posts in government sectors, including banks, railway, insurance and other competitive examinations.
Social activists have supported the decision and they feel it would increase the number of students taking up professional courses in the state.
"The representation of disabled persons is quite higher in other parts of the country but here in Odisha it is very low. We have to provide them with better opportunities to make sure that they get a chance to perform," said social activist Asit Kumar Behera.
Behera said there was need for creating awareness on the subject. "Differently-abled students in the rural areas of the state are hardly aware about various schemes, aids and facilities provided by the state government, we need to make them aware so that more students take admission into technical institute," he said.
