India: Education a big hurdle, hunt for right job bigger

India/November 07, 2017/By: Ardhra Nair/Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Pune: From making education accessible to opening up the job market, activists say a lot needs to be done to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities.

Though securing an education in itself is a big hurdle for people with disabilities, finding a job is even tougher. Public sector jobs have a quota for persons with disability, but it’s difficult to find emplyment in the private sector.

Makarand Vaidya, who needs help to walk, used to work as a marketing and strategy professional. «Government policies need to improve. Schools, colleges and workplaces too need to go beyond the regulations and extend help to disabled people,» he said.

«Only a few among the top-notch corporates hire disabled people. Mid-level companies, and even small and medium industries, are not very receptive to the idea of giving jobs to people with disabilities,» Vaidya added.

Akash Pawar, a BCA student who works at a computer centre, said, «It is tough to get an education if you are disabled. There are no toilets designed to accommodate your wheelchair, neither at school and nor at the workplace. I had learnt computers at this centre. Since I am really good with computers, the owner lets me work here. Otherwise, it is extremely hard to get a job even if you can prove that you are good.»

Kalidas Supate, manager of Kamayani Udyog Kendra (KUK), claims to have found jobs for nearly 600 disabled people. He said, «We have been holding job fairs for the disabled for the past five years or so. We advertise in the media and the HR departments of many companies contact us. Over 40 big firms had come for hiring.»

He added, «Companies that had hired our candidates have given us feedback. They said the visually challenged and hearing/speech-impaired candidates who were recruited in the IT and hospitality sectors, work twice as much as the regular employees.»

Source:

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/education-a-big-hurdle-hunt-for-right-job-bigger/articleshow/61536774.cms