LHC directs Punjab officials to interview disabled candidate

Petitioner says he is being asked to provide a teaching diploma when he has a Masters degree in English.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has directed the Punjab Public Service Commission to interview a disabled candidate who has applied for the post of a lecturer.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan issued the order on Thursday, while a petition filed by a blind person Jabir Hussain. The judge also sought replies from the PPSC and the Punjab government.

The petitioner has contended that he has postgraduate degrees in English and English language teaching. He said he had applied for teaching positions advertised by the PPSC and passed the written exam. But when he went in for an interview on January 16, he was disqualified on grounds that he does not possess a diploma in Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).

The petitioner pointed out that he had also sought an equivalence certificate from the qualification equivalence determination committee and the Higher Education Commission but he was still denied an interview. He said that it is surprising that the PPSC is not considering a candidate who has relevant postgraduate degrees and is asking him to bring in a diploma which is of lesser significance than his degrees. He prayed to the court to direct the PPSC to conduct his interview.

The judge remarked that the government has reserved a two per cent job quota for disabled persons. He sought replies from the respondents and directed the Higher Education Commission to apprise the court on the issue of an equivalence certificate for MA (ELT) and a diploma (TEFL). Hearing was then adjourned for two weeks.