Pawan Wanjari, a 35-year-old teacher from Chandrapur, Maharashtra, was born with a vision impairment that wasn't discovered until he was nine. Despite struggling with reading and writing in mainstream schools, he persevered and completed his Diploma in Education (D.Ed.) after finishing his 12th grade. He then went on to earn a Bachelor's degree (B.A.), a Master's degree (M.A.), and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), determined to pursue a career in teaching.

In 2013, Pawan joined a Government Secondary Ashram School. After six years of service and continuing education, he earned a promotion under the disability quota to teach high school students in 2021. However, his career path was disrupted when his principal and superintendent began questioning his teaching abilities solely based on his blindness.

They falsely claimed his disability negatively affected students and deliberately withheld official notices from senior officers. The senior educational officers sent an internal notice to Pawan, but the principal and superintendent withheld it and falsely informed the officers that they had delivered it to him. 
 

Through a visually impaired colleague, Pawan discovered the Eyeway National Helpdesk. Their counselors informed him of his rights under the RPWD Act, 2016, and directly confronted school administrators and senior officers, warning of legal consequences for their discriminatory actions. 

They emphasised that no government department can remove or suspend disabled persons on the grounds of disability. Relevant government GRs were sent to them via WhatsApp, and a request was made for Pawan’s reinstatement, with a warning of legal action if he was not rehired. 

As a result of Eyeway's efforts, Pawan was reinstated to his teaching position. His case highlights the power of legal awareness and advocacy in protecting the rights of visually impaired professionals.

This intervention not only secured Pawan's job but established an important precedent for visually impaired professionals. His story demonstrates how legal awareness and proper advocacy can effectively challenge workplace discrimination, ensuring that disability never becomes a valid excuse for professional exclusion.

Team Eyeway