New Delhi, May 23: Imagine you received an appointment letter for desk job and later company changed your job profile and made you a sweeper. How would you react? It actually happened with 23-year old Shadab Alam, a visually challenged graduate. Shadab Alam was hired by Indian Railways for a clerical job. After joining, he has been given broom to sweep roads in Delhi. Also Read - Indian Railways News: Train Travel Likely to Become Expensive Soon | Read Details

According to a report of Catch News, Shadab Alam, along with 50 others, passed the Indian Railways group D examination. They were appointed as technical khalasi, wireless tele, computer operator, etc. Shockingly, they got a ‘revised appointment letter’ for the post of a sweeper few days after joining. Currently, Alam, who is a graduate from Satyawati College, Delhi University, sweeps a dusty road in Pratap Nagar Railway Colony, New Delhi. (ALSO READ: ‘Giant body like Indian Railways can’t be revived overnight’) Also Read - 50 Stations, 151 Trains: How Privatisation of Indian Railways Will Bring in 'Modern' Change

“If we had to clean gutters and sweep roads we could have done this before we got our B.A. degrees. What was the point of doing a B.A course? We completed this course with much difficulty and the Railway exam question paper is very tough. We have waited 3 years for this job and we have been given a job in sanitation and cleaning,” Alam was quoted as saying. Also Read - Indian Railways Latest News: 20 Pairs of Clone Trains to be Run from September 21

Ashwani Kumar, another visually challenged youth, has similar story to narrate. 25-year old Kumar, who hold an M.A degree in history from DU, with a special B.ed, received an appointment letter for the designation of Wireless Tele. Since he was not suitable for the job, Indian Railways changed his job profile and gave him cleaning and sanitation job.

“I got an appointment letter for the designation of Wireless Tele. My responsibility was to climb poles and wiring, so my senior told me that this job is not for you. Then they issued a letter for this cleaning and sanitation job” said Kumar. Biswanath Sahu, another blind man who has been given broom in hands, said that when he applied for the entrance examination, it was mentioned that it was for a desk job or peon, and not a sweeper.

All these visually handicapped persons are unable to do the work of sweeping and cleaning. But it seems Indian Railways have lot of expectations from them. Job of sanitation also put the lives of these blind men at risk as the work is practically impossible for them. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has brought lots of reforms in the railway department. We hope he will do justice with these visually challenged people.