The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : `Need for career guidance cell for visually disabled'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

`Need for career guidance cell for visually disabled'

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI, APRIL 12. Bharathidasan University will explore the possibility of floating an exclusive forum to promote higher educational and career prospects for the visually-disabled persons, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, C. Thangamuthu, has said.

Speaking after conferring the `National Award for Exemplary Service' instituted by the All India Blind Welfare Trust, Chennai, on three persons in recognition of their services for the visually-challenged persons, here recently, Dr. Thangamuthu said that illiteracy was yet another problem associated with the visually-challenged, as only a minor percentage of them could pursue school-level education owing to various factors, including socio-economic and lack of special infrastructure in normal schools.

Still poorer was the situation of visually-challenged persons entering the portals of colleges in pursuit of their higher education, he said.

Underlining the need for widening the avenues for higher educational and career prospects for the visually-disabled persons, Dr. Thangamuthu pointed out that this could be achieved only with the assistance of visually-disabled lecturers or professors.

If the visually-challenged faculty volunteered to set up an exclusive career guidance cell to help the visually-impaired students, the University would provide necessary help and assistance.

In this context, he said the University Grants Commission was fully prepared to allot a special grant up to Rs. five lakhs for a college or university for creation of special infrastructural facilities for the visually-challenged.

Although a few colleges have enrolled visually-impaired students, they have not availed themselves of this grant.

The Vice Chancellor conferred the award on Kanthi Dass of the Divine Light Trust for the Blind, Whitefield, Bangalore, P. John Ebenezer of the School for the Blind, Palayamkottai and K. Raman Shankar of the National Association for the Blind, Mumbai.

The Founder-Chairman of the Trust, T. Asir Nallathambi and Gnanadurai Michael, former Consultant for Asia, Christophel Blinden Mission, were among those who spoke.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section

Govt. urged to collect cess on buildings

`Need for career guidance cell for visually disabled'

Exclusive pit line being constructed at Tiruchi Junction