Delhi HC issues notice to Centre on plea on policy for skill learning and training of children with special needs

New Delhi [India], January 28 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notice to the Centre on a class 12 student's plea seeking to form a committee to draft and implement a nationwide plan to impart skill learning and vocational training to children with special needs, especially intellectually challenged and specially-abled children.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice, DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh asked the Centre and Delhi Government to file a reply on the petition and listed the matter for further hearing on March 12.
The court was hearing the petition filed by class 12 student Kanika Gupta through guardian and father Amit Gupta.
The petitioner lawyer, advocate Anshumaan Sahni has urged the court to issue appropriate direction to the respondents directing them to formulate a committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.
He also asked that the Terms of Reference of the Committee include drafting up and implementing of a Nationwide Plan to impart "skill learning and vocational training" to Children with Special Needs (CWSN) starting from the age group of 7-17 years and to Persons with Special Needs, especially to those that are intellectually challenged/ specially abled, and to place such persons in gainful employment; which would help them develop as individuals away from the academic line and would also ensure that as they grow into adults they can dream of attaining financial independence.
The petitioner also sought to draft and implement a nation-wide policy including supporting, incentivizing and subsidizing NGOs/ other organizations/ persons, providing support and assistance to Children with Special Needs (CWSN) through vocational training.
It also sought direction to the respondents to draft and implement a nation-wide plan to provide adequate training and support to the teachers for CWSN in terms of the Judgment and Order dated 14.10.2019 passed by the Delhi High Court.
The petitioner lawyer, advocate Anshumaan Sahni told the court that the petitioner has come across the judgment dated 14.10.2019, passed by Court, whereby the court had directed the respondents to consider the suggestions made by the petitioner therein and to consider forming a committee and assign the work to such Expert Committee to draft and implement a nationwide plan to impart skill learning and vocational training to children with special needs starting from the age group of 7 -17 years and to the persons with special needs, especially to those who are intellectually challenged/ specially-abled and to place such children/ persons in gainful employment.
"However, more than a year has passed since the judgment but no such committee has been formulated, let alone a specific policy in this regard being drafted, as a result of which, intellectually challenged Children with Special Needs (CWSN) are at a severe loss with respect to their financial independence and living with dignity," said the petitioner.
The petitioner said that in the course of her school curriculum and daily life as a normal healthy child, she has noticed that there are many Children with Special Needs(CWSN) alongside her who are intellectually impaired and/ or suffering from autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy or suffering from other forms of disabilities, who have the inability to garner skills needed for daily living and due to the same they are unfortunately phased out of the system and are also unable to independently, financial or otherwise, take care of themselves.