Armed with the knowledge of computer and other modern technologies, the disabled are knocking at the doors of IT-enabled services and business process outsourcing industry but jobs are coming in a trickle.
Most of the firms hesitate in framing any guidelines or policy to recruit disabled people as they think this will affect the company's performance, says Ashwin Kumar Aggarwal, joint secretary, National Association for the Blind.
Corporate world should come forward to bring the disabled section into their arena opening up more outlets for them.
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Joint initiatives should be taken up by the government and entrepreneurs to provide education, computer skills and modern techniques, so that they can get more exposure, says Aggarwal, a blind who has done PhD in Special Education.
The ITES-BPO sector in India is expected to touch $20 billion by 2008 and employs around one million people.
The large-sized ITES companies with over 1,000 employees usually employ 10-15 physically challenged and the number is likely to grow.
"We have 10 disabled employees right now and in future we are going to recruit 10 more for mainstream jobs in our company," says Anubhuti Mittal, assistant vice Ppesident, GE Capital International services.
"The section should be given opportunities for earning their livelihood. If persons with various disabilities can work perfectly, after being trained, then there is no harm in giving them employment," she adds.
Though the world has attained a high level of modernity, but still the stigma related to disability remains, laments Aggarwal.
"Apart from loyality and sincerity they are also not overtly ambitious and content with what they are doing," says Swastik Tiwari of Hero-ITES.
Given the safe and world-class working environment, door-to-door transport from home to office and back, fixed working hours and mental, not physical, ability, jobs in this industry draw upon the strengths of disabled, he adds.
Call centres have proved a better career option for the physically challenged section, as it does not require much physical work.
"The working duration in call centres is 8 hours, and they are paying well too. So 'differently abled' people find it a more convenient job than others," says Neha Bhardwaj of IBM Daksha, who was crippled by polio.
"For working in call centre, one needs telephone verbal skills and vocal quality. One can become perfect after getting through training which all BPO companies provide to their employees after recruiting them," says Bhardwaj.
"The best part is we are not being discriminated from other abled employees. Our disability does not affect our work then why people should feel bad for us," she adds.
Modern technologies in computer system like screen reading software and scanning software, help the blind in overcoming their disability.
"My company has provided screen reading software which helps me in maintaining data base in computer," says Archana Bhatiya of GE Capital International Services.
