In Last two decades, the entire narrative on Disability, Rehabilitation and Education has undergone major paradigm shift. With the passage of much legislation on Right of Persons with Disability; the scope of career in this field has become very lucrative. Those who have done Diploma or Degree courses in Special Education for teaching children with disabilities have many job opportunities.
1. JOBS IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS
Over the years there has been a study growth in the number of Special Schools in the country. These schools provide education to children with disability and need specially trained teachers for that. After 2018 salary structure in these schools has improved a lot.
2. JOBS IN REGULAR PRIMARY SCHOOLS
With the launch of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in our country, it was realized that Special Schools can provide education to very limited percentage of children with Special needs. It was also realized that for ten percent of children population with special need, Inclusive Education by including children with special needs in regular schools; both special and regular children will benefit.
National Council of Teachers Education (NCTE), in its notifications dated 23rd August 2010 and 29th July 2011 States, “Two years Diploma in Special Education would be recognized as eligibility qualification for appointment of Assistant Teacher in Primary Schools”. High Courts also, in many of their judgments have established it. Diploma in Special Education is considered equivalent to BTC for appointment of Assistant Teacher.
3. JOBS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Similarly, for Secondary Education Schools, appointment of Special Educators with minimum B.Ed Special Education is mandatory. CBSE in 2014 made it mandatory for all its affiliated schools to appoint Special Educators for Inclusive Education of special need children (CBSE notice attached). Because of the paucity of trained Special Educators in country these conditions are not being strictly implemented. Once implemented, the demand one can imagine.
4. JOBS IN REHABILITATIONS CENTERS
There are District and Regional Rehabilitation centers all over country for rehabilitation of special need children and person with disability. These centers appoint Rehabilitation Professionals including Special Educators.
5. SCOPE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
After B.Ed Special education, one can go for M.Ed Special Education and then Ph.D Special Education. These courses available in India. After M.Ed one can seek job in teachers training Institutes and Research Institutes in the field of Special Education.
6. SELF EMPLOYMENT
With mass awareness among society there is growing demands for private clinics and tuitions from the parents of special need children. Many of our students are doing that with good earning. Few of them have opened their own Special schools.
7. JOBS IN REHABILITATION HOMES
There are Rehabilitation Homes for the care of special need children who have lost their patents and there is no body to provide care to them. These homes also provide facilities for skill development training. There is also vacancy for Special Educators. The number of such homes is increasing day by day.
Over a decade, there has been tremendous growth in the number of Rehabilitation professionals in the field of Disability from 37550 in 2007-08 to 130011 in 2017-18. In our own Meerut Institute of Special Education, out of 272 students passed out in Diploma course and 11 in B.Ed course. To our best knowledge ninety percent of them are suitably employed in various sector enumerated as above.