UGC’s draft guidelines seek to make campuses inclusive and accessible

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Wednesday issued draft accessibility and inclusivity guidelines for higher education institutions with an aim to make campuses inclusive for persons with disabilities and transgender persons. The guidelines include suggestions on ensuring accessibility in terms of resources, infrastructure, curriculum, teachinglearning, and assessment.

The draft guidelines have been issued as a part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 that envisages education as the primary method to achieve economic and social mobility, inclusion, and equality. The higher education regulator has issued a public notice seeking feedback on the guidelines from stakeholders by March 7.

The UGC recommended universities and colleges ensure admission announcements and advertisements are circulated in accessible formats.

In terms of administrative support, the UGC recommended the higher education institutions provide several need-specific provisions, including flexibility with attendance and timetable, opportunity to reschedule classes to an accessible location, assistive lab equipment, extra time for assignments and examination, and use of assistive devices in teaching learning process and during exams.

For persons with mental disabilities, and those having chronic neurological conditions and blood disorders, the guidelines also recommended a provision of “on demand exams”.

“Accessibility considerations must cover all aspects of assuring that persons with disabilities can participate and have the same choices as their typical peers. It must be ensured to remove any barrier that stops, impedes, prevents or causes difficulty for an individual to fully participate in all aspects,” the guidelines stated.

The guidelines recommended that each higher education institution should have at least one unisex accessible toilet with independent entry.

Experts have sought more time to send in their comments. Dr Satendra Singh, a disability rights activist wrote to UGC secretary Rajnish Jain saying, “...For any participatory policymaking, a minimum of one month is required. Furthermore, because the draft rules include three distinct laws it is all the more important to give ample time... because it affects marginalised populations such as disabled and transgender people.”