University of Disability Studies and Rehabilitation Sciences to be set up

In a public notice released on 24 December, the Department of Empowerment of People with Disabilities (DEPwD), under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, invited comments from stakeholders on the proposed university bill.

The DEPwD in this regard, said that a draft bill, namely the University of Disability Studies and Recovery Sciences Bill 2021 has been prepared for establishing the proposed university. It further said that it intends to set up the University of Disability Studies and Rehabilitation Sciences, Kamrup district of Assam through a separate act of Parliament.

"The proposed university, the first of its kind, will be a unique multidisciplinary academic institution conducting research, programmes, and courses from the bachelor's level onwards to cater to various disciplines covering the entire gamut of disability studies and rehabilitation sciences in an accessible environment," the DEPwD stated.

The proposed university will have eight departments these are:

"The programs of the proposed university will adopt a credit and grading system. It will offer affiliation to other disability and rehabilitation sciences in the country," it said.

DEPwD hereby invites comments from the public on the proposed university by January 3 next year.

National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD),the Prominent disabled rights body, however, called it another "ill-conceived idea", that refused sufficient time or space for stakeholders to respond. "In this case, a mere nine days have been given to elicit response to a 131-page document," NPRD said.

All the unacceptable fact is that this university will be 'self-sustaining' in tune with the thrust of the New Education Policy 2020. With money being generated from tuition fees, affiliation fees, etc. students from the marginalized sections will stand deprived," it said.

"Instead of wasting huge sums of money on self-sustaining segregated centers of education, it would be better if the government adheres to the guiding principles of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of equality and non-discrimination and promotes an inclusive, multidisciplinary approach," the NPRD said.

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