Enhancing opportunities for differently abled students in the higher education sector, the government has set aside more seats for students with autism, intellectual, specific learning disabilities, and mental illness in government, aided, and autonomous colleges.
The Higher Education department has issued orders to increase up to three seats for undergraduate courses and one seat for postgraduate courses from the 2023-24 academic year. The hike will be in addition to the seats reserved for the category. Candidates would be admitted to the new set of seats on the basis of merit, the order added.
According to official sources, the decision has been made on the basis of recommendations put forth by the Commission for Reforms in Higher Education to make higher education institutions disabled-friendly and to ensure equal opportunities and accessibility for differently abled students.
As part of formulating a comprehensive policy for the differently abled, the Social Justice department has been exploring other possibilities including introducing modern technological tools to enable differently abled students write examinations without the assistance of scribes, separate evaluation system, design special courses, ensure representation of differently abled students in various committees in universities and colleges, and to appoint specialist teachers.
