Recent, Supreme Court judgement on disabled people.
Issue:
Universities had allowed 10% relaxation in the minimum relaxation marks for SC/St and 5% concession for disabled people.
Challenged in High Court
Delhi High Court Judgement in 2012:
Discriminatory and arbitrary in nature.
Logic: No meaningful enforcement of rights and no equal opportunities to the disabled without proper education in those suffering from disabilities.
Supreme Court Judgement:
Persons suffering from disabilities are also socially backward and entitled to the same benefits of relaxation as Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe candidates in public employment and education.
People suffering from disabilities are also socially backward.
New academic courses should be crafted to specifically cater to the needs of intellectually disabled persons.
Significance of Decision:
Recognised the difficulties faced by the disabled in accessing education or employment, regardless of their social status.
Undertook recognition of under-privilege and underrepresented nature of disabled.
Illiteracy among the disabled is higher than general population, hence makes sense to provide equal benefits as SC/ST.
Illiteracy rate among disabled population is at 51% as per census 2011.