A senior government official has emphasized the need for higher education institutions to implement the five per cent reservation for students with disabilities in reality, not just on paper. Addressing an event organized by Ashoka University’s Office of Learning Support in partnership with the Inclusive University Alliance, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Additional Secretary Manmeet Kaur Nanda stressed the importance of moving beyond policy to inclusion in practice.
Nanda outlined a six-point roadmap for higher education institutions, including audited access, implementation of the five per cent reservation, reasonable accommodation by default, stronger assistive technology and support, greater faculty and administrative sensitivity, and robust accountability through periodic accessibility and social audits. She noted that while a law enacted in 2016 provides for this five per cent reservation, some institutions have not adhered to this legal mandate, leading to petitions in courts.
The event, attended by policymakers, higher education leaders, and inclusion practitioners, aimed to create a more inclusive, accessible, and equitable higher education ecosystem for students with disabilities. Nanda emphasized that accessibility must extend beyond physical infrastructure to websites, learning systems, examination portals, and course materials.
Professor Vinay Kumar Pathak, President of the Association of Indian Universities, acknowledged Ashoka University’s decade-long work in the area and called for greater focus on realities beyond metropolitan centres. He suggested developing a status paper covering Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4 cities, villages, and communities often left out of the conversation.
Ashoka University vice chancellor Rishikesha T Krishnan emphasized that inclusion must be viewed as an integral part of academic excellence and institutional responsibility. He noted that building inclusive universities requires consistent effort, sustained leadership, collaboration, and a willingness to rethink how institutions are designed and experienced.
The event also saw the unveiling of a coffee table book ‘Because of You’, and the Association of Indian Universities expressed its commitment to working with Ashoka University to take the agenda forward, including harnessing artificial intelligence and other technologies to develop assistive solutions.
