The Hindu : New Delhi News : DU resource centre for disabled to be ready by September

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DU resource centre for disabled to be ready by September

Parul Sharma

To be located in Central Reference Library on the North Campus
Courses in Sign Language, English, Computers and IT to be run

NEW DELHI: Delhi University’s first-of-its-kind resource centre dedicated to the differently-abled members of its community is likely to be ready by mid-September.

The resource centre is being set up in collaboration with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).

The DU-NTPC centre will be located inside the Central Reference Library complex on the North Campus. It will comprise counselling rooms and a state-of-the-art computer lab for visually impaired students and faculty members. There will also be an outlet within the centre that will sell different articles needed by the physically challenged persons.

“We have announced four courses that will be run from the resource centre: Sign Language, English Skills, Computers and Information and Communication Technology. These programmes will be open to anyone from the University and even outside,” said R.K. Agnihotri, coordinator of the Equal Opportunities Cell at the University.

The EOC has been set up for the welfare of students belonging to categories of Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and disabled persons.

The overall administrative and academic control of the centre will be handled by the EOC and the University librarian.

Selection of manager

Currently, the selection process for the manager/director, consultant and technicians for the new centre is on.

“For the post of the director/ manager, we want someone who is more sensitive towards the differently-abled and better informed about them. We are looking at someone who is a challenged person himself and who is efficient so that they can be role models for the children,” added Prof. Agnihotri.

The EOC has also approached the University Grants Commission to release some funds for the implementation of the access audit reports at different constituent colleges of Delhi University.

An access audit report of colleges has been carried out by the EOC in association with NGO “Samarthya” on different problems with each institution in terms of access for the disabled, which need to be addressed.

“We have asked the colleges to send us a budget that they need to implement the access audit report. The colleges should have ramps, lifts, disabled-friendly washrooms and other infrastructure for the physically challenged. If the money comes by, we are hoping that in the next one and a half years, our colleges will be at least minimally disabled friendly so that students will start coming to these institutions,” said Prof. Agnihotri.

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