The Government’s move to seek comments for its draft proposal aiming to set up University of Disability Studies and Rehabilitation Sciences in an inaccessible environment has drawn flak from the stakeholders particularly activists in the sector.
With just ten days allotted by the Government to study the proposal, they termed it as yet another “ill-conceived idea” which denied adequate time or space for stakeholders to respond.
The University covering disability studies and rehabilitation sciences in an accessible environment has been proposed to be launched by the Government for which the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, has invited comments from stakeholders on the draft bill.
In this regard, the DEPwD said, a draft bill namely the University of Disability Studies and Rehabilitation Sciences Bill, 2021 for establishing the proposed university has been prepared. The DEPwD said it intends to set up a University of Disability Studies and Rehabilitation Sciences, Kamrup district, 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 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 said.
“The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities hereby invites comments from the public on the draft University of Disability Studies and Rehabilitation Sciences Bill, 2021 by January 3, 2021.”
Prominent disabled rights body National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled, however, felt that time was too less to study its proposed provisions.
“In this case, a mere nine days have been given to elicit response to a 131-page document,” the NPRD said in a statement.
“All the more unacceptable is the fact that this university would be ‘self-sustaining’, in tune with the thrust of the New Education Policy 2020. With finances being generated from tuition fees, affiliation fees etc. students from the marginalised sections will stand deprived,” it said.
“Rather than wasting huge amounts of money on self-sustaining segregated centres of learning, it would do auger well if the government adheres to the guiding principles of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of equality and non-discrimination and adopts and promotes an inclusive, multidisciplinary approach,” the NPRD said.
Dr Satendra Singh, an activist for the rights of persons with disabilities, too criticised the haste shown by the government in such important moves which if implemented properly can be game changer.
“But the Ministry keeps embarrassing itself. The University of Disability Studies & Rehabilitation Sciences Bill 2021 confirms that none of them have any idea about what Disability Studies means. Only 10 days to submit comments,” Singh tweeted.
As per the proposal the University will have eight departments such as disability studies, rehabilitation sciences, audiology and speech-language pathology, special education, psychology, nursing, orthotics, prosthetics and assistive technology; and inclusive and universal design.