News
Volume 3 Issue 14 - July 15, 2005
D.U. fails again; Number of disabled applicants much below total quota seats
DNIS News Network - University of Delhi has once again failed in filling up even a fraction of 1,300 seats reserved for students with disabilities, as only 322 applicants have sought admission under this quota for this academic year.
Unfortunately the issue of non-fulfillment is being attributed by an insensitive University administration to the lack of applicants. And to add to this, a section of the media and college principals are using the logic of small number of applicants to argue that “precious” seats were going unclaimed each year even as general students struggle for admission.
This is a revealing example of the shallow approach that the University has acquired in dealing with the issue of making its “hallowed” portals accessible to students with disabilities. Using the argument of seats going unclaimed, the University authorities are gradually creating a case against the logic of three per cent reservation for students with disabilities.
The issue needs to be placed in the right perspective. The most important question that needs to be addressed is - why are these seats going unclaimed?
The answer to this question lies with the University administration, which has failed to take note of numerous instances and pointers by prospective students and disability sector who went hoarse trying to highlight problems of access and facilities for students with disabilities.
Delhi and national media kept coming out with stories of neglect, apathy and arrogance of the University administration. But nothing seems to have had an effect. Instead of even considering the issue to make long-term amends, the University seems to have conveniently brushed the issue under the carpet.
Professor S. K. Vij, Dean of Students’ Welfare (D.S.W.), has been conveniently evading the issue of this shortfall, and leaves it to individual colleges by saying, “After the last date for admissions, it is the discretion of the college as to what they do with these seats. We have no say in it.”
This is not all, as college principals see the reservation for disabled students as a liability rather than an issue of rights for equal participation. The statement of Jitender Kaur, Principal of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, is a case in point: “The University forces us to keep these seats vacant, no matter how many general category students may be knocking at our doors. There is a letter saying that ‘don’t fill these seats till you hear from us’. But the communication that should say that these seats may be given to other students never arrives.” D.S.W. or the authorities do not seem to ever communicate to the colleges to provide access for students with disability. This is in spite of the legislation, which was passed ten years ago. Several disabled students are opting from private colleges or correspondence courses only because of lack of accessibility, including the unavailability of disabled friendly U-Specials. Many disabled students drop out of the college as they find it extremely difficult to study in an unfriendly environment.
The only ray of hope to make the Delhi University disabled friendly, is the Public Interest Litigation filed against them in the Delhi High Court, which is coming up for hearing in August 2005.
(External Website)
DNIS is produced and managed by:
National Centre for
Promotion of Employment
for Disabled People
Screening Guidelines to be followed by CISF Security Staff for Passengers with Disabilities at Indian Airports
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill
Mental Health Care Bill
CRPD Monitoring Report
National Policy
20 Stories of Change(book)
Nominations open for NCPEDP- Mphasis Universal Design Awards 2016.
- List of Awardees 2015 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (2.7 MB)
- List of Awardees 2014 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (1 MB)
- List of Awardees 2013 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (1.44 MB)
- List of Awardees 2012 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (804 KB)
- List of Awardees 2011 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (864 KB)
- List of Awardees 2010 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (623 KB)
Press Release
SHELL HELEN KELLER AWARDS
NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller Awardees 2013
Features
Interview
News
- Disability activist Javed Abidi nominated to Central Advisory Board of Education (C.A.B.E.)
- Ministry of Social Justice makes mockery of selection process of National Trust’s Chairperson
- Disabled invitees stranded at Social Justice Ministry’s event
- Petroleum Minister summons GAIL CMD on illegal terminations of four disabled employees
- National Policy for Persons with Disabilities to be announced soon: Meira Kumar
- Pioneering effort to reach disabled people in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- N.C.P.E.D.P. calls for changes in Draft Delhi Master Plan to make Capital disabled friendly
- New strands of polio virus found in India and Indonesia
- Disability sector meeting in Mumbai focusses on failure to implement The Disability Act
- National Urban Transport Policy to come up for Cabinet discussion
- EC fails to make Goa bye-poll disabled-friendly; Disability groups may file contempt
- D.U. fails again; Number of disabled applicants much below total quota seats
- Huge costs for parents of disabled children: U.K. Study
- South Zone Partners commit to strengthen National Disability Network
Additional Links
Disability News and Information Service is produced and managed by:
National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (External Website)
C-43, South Extension, Part
- II,
New Delhi
110 049, India
Tel: 91-11-26265647, 26265648
Fax: 91-11-26265649
E-mail: secretariat@ncpedp.org
Website:
www.ncpedp.org (External Website)