Delhi High Court has recently issued notice in a plea seeking directions to the Central Government to set up adequate and effective mechanism for providing educational and teaching material for the visually impaired and specially abled individuals.
The Division Bench comprising of Justice HimaKohil and Justice Subramonium Prasad has issued notice to the Delhi University as well as the University Grants Commission.
Earlier, the court had issued notices to the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment regarding the same.
The petition moved by law students Prateek Sharma and Diksha Singh, has also asked the Central Government to ensure that DU exams are only conducted after all students have received identical and complete educational instructions.
Due to COVID19, many colleges and Universities have started imparting online teaching. However, the Petitioner argued that the government has taken no steps to consider the need of the visually impaired and specially abled individuals (auditory impairment).
The petition highlighting DU exams pattern stated:
‘Due to this non-consideration, students at all levels who are visually impaired and/or specially abled (auditory impairment) find themselves in worsening educational condition and effectively have been left to fend for themselves during this period of hardship.’
Citing the current system of imparting education as being discriminatory towards the persons with special needs, it is the duty of the state to ensure that such students receive the same standard of education.
However, the Petitioner in DU exams case claimed that both the government and the Universities have neglected this issue and have adopted nonchalant approach.
Therefore, the Petitioner has sought directions to ensure that an effective mechanism for conducting evaluation of specially-abled students is set up with immediate effect and without prejudice to their educational endeavours.
In addition to this, the Petitioner highlighting DU exams pattern urged the government to call for suggestions from respective stakeholders, experts and organizations that are working in the field of providing education at all levels to the specially-abled and visually/auditory impaired students.
