Kerala Govt Delays Action on SC Order for Special Educators’ Appointment

Fast Summary

• the Kerala government has not yet fully implemented a Supreme Court (SC) order to appoint permanent special educators in government and aided schools for differently abled students.
• Kerala has over 1.23 lakh differently abled students, with about 2,700 contractual special educators currently employed under Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK).
• SC mandated all States/Union Territories to regularize eligible contracted/daily-wage educators via screening committees by the end of March 2023 and finalizing this process within three weeks. Kerala’s screening committee was set up on May 20, but no further action has been taken since then.
• Special educator C. Stella Margret highlighted delays in implementing permanent positions despite SC orders,stressing that irregular salaries and annual renewals impact service delivery for bedridden students and parents.
• Reports suggest the state government might prefer cluster-based appointments instead of full-time permanency due to financial concerns raised by officials who were unavailable for comment.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The delay in implementing the Supreme Court’s directive on regularizing special educators highlights possible administrative inefficiency or competing financial priorities within Kerala’s education budget planning framework. While the establishment of a screening committee indicates progress, there is little follow-through action reported so far-potentially leaving over one lakh differently abled students without assured consistent support services.Cluster-based plans could offer some interim solutions but risk fragmenting effective delivery if funding issues persist or permanent roles are overlooked altogether due to perceived fiscal strains by policymakers.Efficient implementation of judicial directives is crucial not only for educational inclusivity but also as an institutional response showcasing governance credibility that prioritizes both human rights mandates and long-term developmental goals related accessibility equity

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