Give priority to absolutely blind candidates in jobs: HC

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

The Karnataka High Court has emphasised that individuals with "absolute blindness" 4x13should be given preference over those with "low vision" in employment opportunities, provided their disability does not hinder their ability to perform duties. This decision was made by a division bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice CM Joshi while dismissing an appeal by the Department of School Education against an earlier order from the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (KSAT).

The case revolves around H N Latha, a blind candidate from the Scheduled Caste community in Periyapatna taluk, Mysuru district. Latha had applied for the position of Kannada and social studies teacher at a government primary school in 2022. Her name was included in the selection list released on March 8, 2023. However, on July 4, 2023, her application was rejected, prompting her to challenge the decision before KSAT. The tribunal ruled in her favor, awarding her Rs 10,000 in costs and instructing the appointing authority to reconsider her application within three months.

The Department of School Education contested this decision, arguing that reservations for candidates with "low vision" and those with "absolute blindness" should be treated as separate categories. The department claimed that the tribunal had overlooked this distinction.