Kolkata Follows with Special Educational Cell at Jadavpur U

Jadavpur University in Kolkata is in the process of setting up a facilitation cell for disabled students. The cell aims to take care of educational, infrastructural, financial as well as medical needs of challenged persons. The University has a 3 percent reservation for disabled candidates. The visually challenged comprises the majority of the university's 70-plus disabled student strength. While the major problem is lack of study material, the financial constraints of those coming from less-privileged backgrounds are also a hindering factor.

The proposal, submitted to the University Grants Commission under its Higher Education for Persons with Special Needs scheme in 2001 has only recently been ratified and financial assistance for 5 years has been sanctioned according to Ashok Ranjan Thakur, pro vice-chancellor, Jadavpur University. The cell will act in collaboration with the university placement office to provide employment to disabled students, as well as give information about and access to potential employers. There are plans to hold seminars and workshops on social and technological opportunities available to students with special needs. A helpline to guide them is also in the offing.

The following will be the primary functions of the cell:

• Procure and store books in Braille
• Buy computer, scanner, and suitable software and printer for transcribing regular textbooks in Braille
• Transcribe frequently-used books to audio cassettes
• Provide monetary allowance to students for hiring readers and writers
• Arrange for medical check-ups in collaboration with the University Health Centre
• According to Dr Sajni Mukherjee, professor, department of English, who has been involved in a resource procurement scheme for the blind, a basic training in computers allows challenged people to surf the Net, operate 'talking computers', scan books and take print-outs in Braille.

The immediate stress is on upgrading infrastructure - special toilets, ramps for wheelchairs beside staircases, soundproof corners in libraries, etc - to allow students access to all parts of the university.

Source: Unique cell for special needs, The Telegraph, May 01, 2002, Calcutta