Deceased quota no more

Sindh Cabinet allows admission of mildly autistic children in mainstream schools

KARACHI:

The Sindh cabinet on Wednesday took several important decisions, including the approval of a policy that will allow children with mild autism to be admitted to mainstream public and private schools. The forum also abolished the 'Deceased Quota' in jobs as per the Supreme Court order.

The provincial cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, was attended by all provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, chief secretary, and the concerned secretaries.

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) informed the cabinet that children with mild autism, slow learners, and borderline cognitive abilities are often denied admission to regular schools, forcing them into special education institutions. This practice, the department argued, violates existing laws promoting inclusive education.

To address this, the cabinet approved the establishment of the Directorate of Inclusive Education under DEPD. This new directorate, in collaboration with the School Education Department, will implement a comprehensive strategy to ensure that children with mild autism can access education in mainstream schools, as per the existing laws.

The cabinet also took action on the Deceased Quota in government jobs, in line with a Supreme Court ruling issued on September 26, 2024. The court had declared the recruitment under the "Deceased Quota" as discriminatory and unconstitutional, violating several fundamental rights under the Constitution of Pakistan. As a result, the cabinet approved the deletion of Rule 11A from the Sindh Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion, and Transfer) Rules, 1974.

The cabinet updated criteria for appointing Vice Chancellors (VCs) across various universities. Per guidelines, a VC must be an eminent academic eligible for a full professorship or a public sector administrator (BPS-21+) with four years of experience and a relevant Master's degree. For medical, engineering and veterinary universities a PhD in the relevant field was declared a must.

The cabinet also greenlit the creation of the Sindh Peoples Rural Civic Services (SPRCS) to improve access to clean water and sanitation for the 61% of Sindh's rural population.