The Central Government responded that “the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre’s plans were to train about 475 sign language interpreters (about 75 trainees through Diploma in Indian Sign Language Interpretation and 400 others officials through a short term training programme, Continuous Rehabilitation Education, and Workshops till March, 2018.) Besides it was proposed to train 25 interpreters who were native speakers of sign language SODA (Siblings of Deaf Adult) and CODA (Children of Deaf Adults), 25 educators for the deaf and 25 Indian sing language teachers (deaf) till March, 2018.”
However, the Petitioner submitted that section 17 of the RPwD Act, 2016, which dealt with inclusive education required the training and recruitment of teachers who were qualified in sign language. Section 42, which dealt with access to information and communication services, required sign language interpreters for all TV programmes. The Petitioner thus submitted “The requirement for sign language interpreters must be assessed realistically by an expert group and would probably run into tens of thousands for the entire country. It must be remembered that deaf persons constitute 30% to 40% of the disabled population and the actual figure is estimated at a minimum of 13 million persons. In the absence of sign language interpreters in the educational institutions and in the country, they remain at the lowest rungs of the disability sector and suffer almost complete exclusion. Their performance in education and employment shows this extreme discrimination. Hence the sign language interpreter issue is one of the most important human rights remaining to be implemented in India”.
The Petitioner further submitted that compliance with the mandate of Section 40, 41, 42 and 46 of the 2016 Act read with Section 2(f), i.e. definition of “Communication” to include sign language would require a large number of sign language interpreters (SLI’s) to be trained and available across the country by June 2019 and the figure of 475 SLI’s quoted by the Central Government would be highly inadequate to meet this requirement. Therefore, the Petitioner reiterated the directions sought that RCI be directed to make reasonable estimation of the number of SLI’s required in India and thereafter for the UOI and all States and Union Territories to make adequate arrangements to train and make available 500 SLI’s every year until the target of the estimated SLI’s in the country is met. The Petitioner therefore prayed for an order directing UOI and all states/UTs to create a special cadre of sign language interpreters in the Union and state cadres for the immediate employment of the sign language interpreters who qualify.