The Central government notified with regard to reservation of posts for the handicapped in the non-teaching staff category way back in 1977 but PU authorities seem to be incognizant of the same. As per data available, the strength of non-teaching staff in PU is 2,800. Out of this only 12 are physically disabled -- that comes to about 0.43 per cent.

The statistics for teaching employees is even worse. Out of 700 teachers, only two are handicapped -- constituting a meagre 0.28 per cent of the total posts filled.

When questioned in this regard, secretary to the V-C, Iqbal Nath Chaudhary informed that in the non-teaching category there is a provision for reserving posts for the handicapped, "but there's no such provision in the teaching section".

When told that three per cent reservation for the disabled was a government ruling, Chaudhary said: "There's no such ruling as per the university calender."

Coming to law, the Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs of the Government of India has reserved equal job rights for the physically handicapped in the Act, called The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.

Section 33 of the said Act clearly states that the government shall reserve, in every establishment, not less than three per cent of vacancies for the physically handicapped. It adds that of the three per cent, one per cent each shall be reserved for those suffering from blindness or low vision, hearing impairment, locomotor disability or cerebral palsy.

Section 39 of the same Act further makes it mandatory for every educational institution to implement the above-stated provision.

It's not that the authorities have not been approached in this regard. A delegation of the Punjab branch of National Federation for the Blind had met former V-C T. N. Kapoor in this regard. Two years hence, a memorandum has also been given to the present V-C M. M. Puri but action on the same is still awaited.

Qualified but jobless
Dr Honey Harnal walks with callipers but her mind is as quick and agile as anybody else's. However, like many highly qualified but physically handicapped persons, she is apparently "beyond the pale" as far as employment is concerned. When PU advertised three posts of history lecturers (morning, evening and correspondence) in 1998 she applied; many months later, on August 19, she was called before the selection panel consisting of V-C Puri, Prof V. N. Dutta (Delhi), Prof Irfan Habib (Aligarh), Prof Indu Bagga, Dr Ravidranath Sharma and Dr Mohammad Khalid.

Honey got as far as the interview but no further. She says: "Although the interview went well, my name was not even sent for Syndicate consideration at the August 27 meeting. Last time I applied I was not even called. Except for the ability to walk normally, what am I lacking?"