Bombay HC Directs Maharashtra Government to Ensure Online Education for Specially Abled Students; Check Details Here

The Bombay High Court has directed the state government to ensure that online education is provided to specially-abled students in Maharashtra.

Bombay HC stated that this is the responsibility of the government since the schools remain closed because of the lockdown imposed due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

The court also instructed the Maharashtra government to use Doordarshan television channels to educate specially-abled children by telecasting educational content and provide them the required knowledge.

NGO Filed Public Interest Litigation (PIL)

The issue was brought before the notice of the court by a PIL filed by an NGO. The petitioner raised the issue of difficulties faced by the specially-abled students during the time of the pandemic. This issue was heard by the bench of Justice GS Kulkarni and Chief justice Dipankar Datta.

In the petition, it was argued that while most schools had shifted to online education, there were no clear provisions for specially-abled students. Because of the non-availability of staff, mobile phones, and poor internet connectivity, students with disabilities were facing a lot of problems.

The counsel appearing for the petition suggested the use of government radio and tv channels as a solution to this problem. Since every family had a radio or a tv, the counsel argued that this was the most viable way to help the specially-abled children to pursue their education amid the COVID 19 pandemic.

Bombay HC: Government to Find Solution

Chief Justice Datta directed the government to find more solid solutions to this problem as it was the responsibility of the state government. He also said that the government could take 1 or 2-hour slots on Doordarshan every day to telecast educational programmes.

Bombay HC also asked the petitioner to submit suggestions to the state government and asked the government to study them and consider the measures that could be taken.

HC gave the government a deadline of January 18, 2021, to submit a report on the measures taken to impart education to differently-abled children.

In Maharashtra, Schools have been kept closed since March 2020 because of the lockdown imposed to restrict the spread of coronavirus.

Online classes were conducted in Maharashtra Schools but students have been facing difficulties in attending the online classes.