Access-Ability

Delhi University works towards accessibility

Delhi University (DU) colleges are working at a frenetic pace to build ramps before session starts, in line with a fiat to make campuses disabled-friendly.

After an access audit of the university, DU’s Academic Council has decided to make key buildings accessible to all. “In the first phase, we have started work on four buildings, which include two libraries and two hostels,” said Dr. S.K. Vij, dean, students welfare.

“We are conscious of the needs of all our students and believe in equal opportunity and access to all,” he said. “We are still far from making the entire campus completely accessible to the disabled but at least a start has been made. There are several colleges that rest should have them ready by the session.”

Talking about renovation plans, he said, “The University will come up with a big Braille library, completely equipped with embossing machines, in case students need to take notes or make copies of something.” Also on the cards are the JAWS enabled ‘talking computers,’ for the blind.

While some colleges like Venkateshwara College, Ram Lal Anand, Daulat Ram, Hindu Hansraj already have ramps, some like Hargi and Kamala Nehru are in the process of constructing new ramps. “We have some applications from students with special needs, hence we shall have something in place before the new session starts,’ said Meera Ramachandran, principal, Gargi College. “We working on plans to make auditoriums and canteens accessible,” said Minoti Chatterjeee, principal, Kamala Nehru College. The college has asked for grants to have an Ambulift, so physically challenged students can access classrooms on all floors.

Similarly, almost after five years of efforts, one ramp was constructed at Lady Sri Ram College last year. This year, the administration block has also been made accessible to the disabled.

Last year, Sriram College of Commerce had built a few ramps for to make the college accessible to a wheelchair-bound student.

Principal Dr. P.C. Jain hopes to accommodate more disabled students this year. “I also hope to provide Pooja Sharma (last year’s candidate) with a room that can meet her needs.” 

Source: DU gets ready for disabled. The Hindustan Times, Daily, New Delhi, 9 June 2007.

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And Khalsa College too!

DU is all set to make its colleges disabled-friendly. Be it a science laboratory on the forth floor or a computer lab on the second, nothing will be inaccessible to the physically challenged.

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur (SGTB) Khalsa College on North Campus was the first one to introduce disabled-friendly features on its campus. SRCC followed it. While some colleges are making ramps, others are installing lifts. From washrooms to floors, everything is being renovated. “Our college is80 per cent disabled-friendly. We have constructed ramps at various places and there are separate washrooms for physically disabled students. To make our college 100 per cent disabled-friendly, we have applied to UGC for funds. We will use that money to install lifts,” said Dr Rajendra Prasad, Principal, Ramjas College.

Renovation on

Hansraj College will have European seats in the washrooms and renovate its hostels. “We don’t want the disabled students to suffer. They spend most their time in hostels, so we will ensure that physically challenged students get rooms on the ground floor,” said S.R. Arora Principal, Hansraj College.

SGTB Khalsa College is planning to install lifts. Tenders have been floated and the college will approach UGC for funds. Khalsa College already has ramps in the Humanities block and construction is on in the Science department. “Our Science department is spread over four floors. We don’t want students to feel felt out. I know all our students have potential, so I will make the Science block accessible to them,” said Dr Jaswinder Singh, Principal, SGTB Khalsa College.

Hindu College has various tape recorders for visually challenged students. “We have issued tapes for visually challenged students. We have recorded the course material on those tapes and these students can listen to it,” said Dr Kavita Sharma, Principal, Hindu College. Miranda house is also planning to install lifts. They also have a separate computer centre for visually challenged students.

“Our students and teachers have always helped the disabled students. Moreover, we have ramps at various places in the college,” said Dr Pratibha Jolly, Principal, Miranda House.

Source: DU Colleges turning disabled-friendly. Metro Now, New Delhi. 9 June 2007.

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Indraprastha College for Women hostel to open its doors

The Indraprastha College for Women is all set to have a new hostel from next academic year. The new hostel will be disabled–friendly and equipped with amphitheatre, bank and a studio for mass communication.

''We want to make our girls comfortable in the hostel and give them the comfort of home. Moreover, we want to make this complex a small students activity centre where they can spend evenings after the classes,'' said Manasvini M Yogi, media co–ordinator of the college. The new hostel will have 140 rooms with 200 seats and will have s special accommodation facility for the guests of residents. ''Being associated with a large number of foreign universities, international students and faculty members keep visiting us. The new hostel will also have rooms for these guests,'' said Yogi.

The amphitheatre will have big stage performances. It will also have seating arrangements. ''This will give enough space to our students to showcase their creative skills and practice a variety of co–curricular activities. We will also have a bank facility in the complex,'' said Yogi. Meanwhile, the college has built ramps all over the premises to facilitate movement of the physically disabled students from class rooms to library to canteen. They have recently developed a section of dictionaries and books in Braille for the visually impaired .

Source: Sonia Sarkar, 140-room hostel in IP college soon, Times of India, June 8, 2007

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But, St. Stephen's says no to ramps

At a time when most Delhi University (DU) colleges are making structural changes in their buildings to make the environs disabled–friendly St. Stephen's has decided against construction of ramps for wheelchair user students. Authorities say no external construction of any kind is possible in St. Stephen's since it is a heritage building. St. Stephen's is one of the three colleges that constituted Delhi University in 1922, the formation year.

But there's no need to worry Vinod Choudhury Media Advisor, St. Stephen's, said: "We are a very student friendly college and the good samaritan in us makes us want to help students ascend stairs whenever they need help. We have had a lot of students in the past who were wheelchair user. And students have always volunteered to help, without being instructed." A.D Mathur, Convener of Admissions, said: "There are several issues with constructing ramps, the technical specifications like low roofs and old pillars are some limitations which we cannot overlook." On ambilift, he said, "That is way too expensive and we haven't given that option a thought."

The college also does not have a specific quota for disabled people, unlike most DU colleges who are bound to reserve three per cent seats for disabled people. "We go beyond the quota, don't limit ourselves to the written word," said Mathur.

Choudhury said, "Ours would be the only college to accommodate 18 visually impaired students in a total strength, which is less than 1,000." He cited the case of Manoj Rawal, a wheelchair user student who comes from a poor family in Haryana. "He is a typical example of the fact that the college not only admits physically disabled students but is also sympathetic towards their needs."

Source: Jaya Shroff and Arvind Yadav.  Bound by heritage: St. Stephen's will not construct ramps for disabled people, The Hindustan Times,June 10, 2007

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