New Delhi: IIT Delhi celebrated the International Day for Persons with Disabilities today with the Director, Prof. V Ramgopal Rao, kicking off the "Challenging Challenges" activities.

The activities were organised to sensitize and build empathy among non-disabled persons by helping them experience the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in their daily life and also value their abilities.

With an aim to support students with disabilities IIT Delhi had launched ‘Office of Accessible Education (OAE)’ this year. The OAE has made a modest start over the past few months in providing support to such students.

(Picture: ‘Challenging Challenges’ Activities)

To extend support to the disabled students, the Office of Accessible Education and the institute’s Academic section are offering scribes and compensatory time to over 130 students on the campus. With the help of the Head of Departments, the OAE has created a pool of scribes for this purpose.

Speaking of the various steps IIT Delhi is taking for the disabled persons including students on the campus, Prof V. Ramgopal Rao, Director said, “At the OAE, assistive devices will be available for those who need them. We will conduct a survey among the students with disabilities about the kinds of assistive devices they need (wheelchairs, hearing aids, calipers, special mobile phones, etc.). We have taken steps towards making our official website compliant with WGAC guidelines. The institute is also looking into providing mobility services on the campus to the disabled persons.”

Prof. Reetika Khera, Associate Dean, Student Welfare, IIT Delhi added, “In the coming year, we hope to work with IIT Delhi student bodies such as NSS and BSW to create a pool of student volunteers who can help create accessible study materials and provide other support to persons with disabilities on the campus.”

To add to the efforts taken by IIT Delhi to support persons with disabilities, the institute community members, especially the students with disabilities have come forward and helped generously. The Xavier's Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged has also been supporting the institute (pro bono), including providing intensive training to our students, creating accessible study materials.                   

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