SILCHAR, Feb 25 - In a bid to explain the genesis of disability, terminologies used in the area of disability rehabilitation and to identify and assess children, adults and elderly having physical, sensory or cognitive impairments or those who are at risk, Assam University Silchar in collaboration with Christoffel Blinden Mission, CBM India, an International Christian Development organizations working for people with disabilities worldwide has decided to start a special paper on disability management studies.
The Social Work Department of the university organized a consultation meeting on Disability Management Studies to design a curriculum for the said paper. Barring the hosts, representatives from seven other varsities of North East including Don Bosco University, Guwahati, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University of Manipur, Mizoram University, Manipur University, Rajiv Gandhi Central University, Arunachal Pradesh, University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) and North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research (MSW college), Nagaland participated in the consultation meeting.
�We keep updating the syllabus to keep pace with the constant challenges posed by the globalized world. But the branch of Disability Management Studies calls for a much deeper involvement with the subject, rather than mere physical alterations of the course structure. This branch of studies need passion on the part of the teachers who would not just teach the students with disabilities but also train them to become resourceful to face the challenges ahead,� Prof RR Dhamala, Vice Chancellor of Assam University said.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, Dr Sara Varughese, regional director of CBM India said that various NGOs are working across schools in the North East for education to children with disabilities. However, there is the need to address the issue at the higher education levels, she maintained. �It is not that there is nothing for people with disabilities in the North East. But the need for higher education for people with disabilities has not been adequately addressed in this part of the country. UGC has schemes for two per cent reservation for disabled students but less than one per cent of the seats are occupied by the intended students at the national level. There is a lot more to be done for the people with disabilities,� Prof Varughese said. She informed that on February 26, around 15 organizations in Shillong will launch a programme on education for children with disabilities in the government schools of the state.
