The Bombay High Court on Monday said it was the Maharashtra government's duty to ensure special online education for specially-abled students across the state and suggested using Doordarshan to telecast educational programmes.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni was hearing a public interest litigation filed by an NGO, Anamprem, raising concerns over problems being faced by students with disabilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The bench directed the petitioner to submit suggestions to the state govt and asked the govt to study them and consider what measures can be undertaken to address the issue. The court directed the government to submit its report by January 18..

The petitioner's advocate, Uday Warunjikar, told the court that due to various problems such as non-availability of staff, or mobile facilities, students with disabilities are unable to pursue their education in this pandemic. In this circumstance, Warunjikar suggested the government make use of local government channels and radio to impart education for such students.

Earlier last month, The Maharashtra government through an affidavit told the HC that it was providing online education to specially-abled students across special schools and training centres run by NGOs amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The state had said that it would not be possible to hold physical classes for specially-abled students in view of the pandemic.

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