UGC Guidelines for Divyangjan Students: Key Changes to Make Higher Education More Inclusive - More Details Here

The University Grants Commission, UGC has introduced some new guidelines for Divyangjan Students to make higher education more accessible. Making the campuses easy for access is only a part of inclusive education. Now the UGC wants education institutions to think how they can teach and support the students with special abilities. In the new guidelines introduced, it has been mentioned that universities and institutions can adopt new learning methods which are also easy for Divyangjan students and people with Special Learning Disabilities, SLDs. 

This article will help to know what new changes have been added to the UGC Guidelines.  Teaching SLDs students focuses on classroom activities more than infrastructure issues. This requests the institution to make their curriculum more accessible so that differently abled students can also participate in their academic work equally. 

UGC has said that clearly, that being accessible does not mean in terms of providing ramps, lifts, and more help to the Divyangjan students, but it means to implement the change in each and every aspect of the educational approach too. For this, it has been requested to introduce flexible courses, relaxation in attendance, and reduction in course structure. It has been asked from the universities to help the students with materials like Braille, digitized texts, large print books and audio books and more. It is suggested that the faculties can move out from following the traditional lecture format to modern learning of teaching which includes project works, role play, discussions, etc.

Download PDF forUGC Guidelines for Divyangjan Students

Specific Assistance for Divyangjan Students

For students who are visually challenged, they should be provided with braille materials, mobility training, tactile diagrams, and digital materials. Students who have hearing disabilities can be communicated with or given sign language interpreters, video clips, written notes, visual aids and more to help them out.   

Those who are suffering from the autism spectrum, they might just need simple instructions and activity clarifications to complete their assignments. For more help they can be provided with remedial or tutoring classes when it is required.

Main points of the UGC guidelines

• Curriculum needs to be flexible to incorporate varied learning capacities.
• Study materials have to be made available in all kinds of modes like Braille, digital and audio texts.
• Teaching needs to be carried out using different modes of instructions rather than just lectures.
• Classroom support for disability needs to be provided depending on personal requirements.
• The institutions need to increase the use of advance technologies and accessible digital content.
• Exam procedures need to have options like alternate formats and additional time.
• Universities need to provide more guidance, mentorship and remedial assistance.
• Campus needs to make efforts to ensure that accessibility is achieved in all aspects

Special Attention to be Provided in Examinations

To make it easy for Divyangjan students to be assessed for exam purposes, it is not necessary to follow the structured or old pattern. In the guidelines it has been mentioned that the alternative for exams can be conducted for the special students whenever required. 

Some of the suggestions were, they can provide extra time, scribes and readers for attempting exams, braille and big print papers, and more. Further it is also recommended that the required documents be given in the accessible format. 

Institutions to Strengthen Campus Support

Apart from the studies, UGC had made it clear that universities should have accessible lab equipment, free movements, orientations programmes and communication and teaching help whenever it is required. It has been said to keep a record of the enrollment, academic achievement of Divyangjan students, and the outcome of assessment. 

This is a wider effort made by the UGC to make sure that higher education for Divyangjan students is not a hurdle faced in classes. The successful implementation of these new guidelines will help students to grow in their career and also to make sure that inclusive change becomes a part of their normal teaching practice.