A quest for inclusion in higher education: Strengthening the UGC guidelines on accessibility

Wheelchair

The Universities Grants Commission (UGC) recently released a draft of Comprehensive Accessibility Guidelines and Standards for Higher Education Institutions(HEIs) and Universities. The guideline, in its effort to deeply understand the diverse needs of learners with disabilities and provide a robust roadmap to inclusive education, is laudable and a step in the right direction. It is powerful in its intent, captures the nuances of accessibility measures, and while keeping abreast with the role of inclusive technology in education, also focuses on the range of needs and requirements of students with different types of disability. Despite all these positives, it is also an ambitious mandate. While the guideline does provide some indication on who within the HEIs is expected to govern and monitor the given measures (Chapter 10), it mentions little about timelines, financial implications as well as accountability measures guaranteeing the implementation.

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