Telangana and Andhra Pradesh must issue notifications for hiring teachers for children with special needs by March 28, as directed by the Supreme Court.
The Court made this decision while addressing a petition on recruiting regular teachers for children with special needs. It noted that Telangana has around 32,794 such children, while Andhra Pradesh has approximately 82,227.
The Supreme Court ordered all states and union territories to publish notifications specifying the number of approved teaching positions for children with special needs. Once the posts are sanctioned and notified, the recruitment process must be completed within three weeks, no later than March 28, 2025.
The Court also instructed that job advertisements must appear in at least two widely circulated newspapers in each state. Additionally, the information should be available on the Department of Education’s website and the official government website of the respective state.
To ensure quality education, the Supreme Court mandated that only qualified and competent teachers with certifications recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) can be appointed. Candidates without RCI certification will be considered ineligible.
Each state government must immediately establish a Screening Committee to oversee the hiring process. This committee will consist of three members:
1. The State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (Disability Commissioner) appointed under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016.
2. The Secretary of the relevant education department.
3. A nominee from the RCI with expertise in the field.
The committee will assess the qualifications of teachers currently working on a contract or daily wage basis. Those deemed eligible and competent will be assigned the official pay scale for special teachers. Their past experience will also be considered.
However, all applicants must hold RCI certification. In cases where teachers have been working for many years, the Screening Committee has the authority to relax the age limit if necessary. The entire process, including the identification of sanctioned posts, must be completed within twelve weeks. States that have already approved these posts should start the selection process immediately.
