| With an aim to empower differently-abled persons, the Kerala government is planning to set up a Centre for Disability Studies in the State capital. G. MAHADEVAN spoke to Dr. G.N. Karna, Chairman of the Working Group on Disability for the 11th Five Year Plan on the scope of this proposal |
Dr. G. N. Karna is a member of the National Human Rights Commission Core Group on disability and Chairman, Working Group on Disability for 11th Five Year Plan. He is a member of the Consultative Committee on Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Castes, and Social Welfare for Mid-Term Appraisal of 11th Five-Year Plan and is the Honorary President, Society for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, New Delhi.
He was in Thiruvananthapuram last week to participate in a meeting called to discuss the setting up of a Centre for Disability Studies under the LBS, in Thiruvananthapuram. Based on discussions he had with The Hindu-EducationPlus while in Thiruvananthapuram he agreed to respond to questions emailed to him. Excerpts:
In layman’s terms, how would you define Disability Studies?
Disability Studies could be defined as a field of knowledge or academic inquiry, which reformulates the study of disability by perceiving it as a social phenomenon, social construct, metaphor and culture, and thereby suggesting adoption of rights-based perspective. Disability Studies is primarily centred on how disability is defined, viewed and represented in society.
The complexity of defining disability has aggravated because of indiscriminate and loose use, by scholars, of terms like ‘impaired’, ‘disabled’, ‘physically handicapped’/ ‘physically challenged’, ‘mentally challenged’ and ‘differently abled’. Though the fact remains that there is classical distinction in the meaning of these terminologies, they all convey some or other disabling situations and provide a fragmented perspective of disability. The most accepted terminology from rights-based perspective is persons with disabilities or disabled persons.
What is the status of disability studies in India? Is there adequate academic focus on the social, cultural, economic, educational issues relating to such people?
Ironically, despite plethora of studies and research carried out in developed societies, the area of disability studies, still, remains quite grey and unexplored. It continues to be ignored in the curricula of schools, colleges and universities in India and due attention has not been given to address issues related to disability and rehabilitation policies from inter-disciplinary paradigms. This could be reflected in the way the plethora of degrees and diploma courses are restructured over the years by national institutes with sectoral perspectives with medical/ clinical orientation.
This tendency has resulted in the issue of disability being studied and analysed as merely the part of the syllabi of certain specific disciplines such as, medical science, bio-technology, psychology, social work, special education, community health, rehabilitation medicine, labour economics and sociology and that, too, in a piecemeal fashion.
Moreover, there is far too rigid a compartmentalisation of disciplines in the curricula of Indian Universities and academic institutions, which has contributed to a reduction of cross-flow between various fields of research and obstructed progress in the specific field of disability. Since disability is basically a human rights and developmental issue, its multitudinous dimensions must be approached from interdisciplinary paradigm.
What should be the role of a Centre for Disability Studies such as the one proposed to be set up by the Government of Kerala?
The proposed Centre for Disability Studies (CDS) to be started by Government of Kerala should undertake the following activities in order to actualise the goal of empowering the persons with disabilities at the grassroots level. Among the major activities and roles identified for the proposed CDS are: imparting teaching and research at the level of MA/M.Sc., M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes in Disability Studies with interdisciplinary perspectives; organising short-term and long-term training programmes for the rehabilitation personnel; developing resource materials for the use of persons with disabilities as also professionals and social activists for delivery of services to the stakeholders; conducting institutional and community rehabilitation programmes; establishing better linkages between university and government/non-governmental organisations working in disability sector; acting as a cleaning house on various disability aspects in terms of assistance, promotion of research and dissemination of information; conducting innovative research for promoting inclusive education practices at school and college level for students with disabilities; carrying out participatory action research on issues of contemporary relevance for disability sector ; espousing for incorporation of disability, rehabilitation and human rights related issues into the curricula of subjects being taught at school and college levels; and most importantly sensitizing at the grassroots level about the imperativeness of changing the mindsets of society.
Since the courses to be offered by the proposed centre should be multidisciplinary in nature, development of interdisciplinary team of experts/ professionals would be necessary.
Imparting courses on Disability Studies as part of higher education involves expertise from plethora of academic disciplines. The centre could initially offer MA/ M.Sc., M.Phil. and Ph.D. programme on Disability Studies. Apart from academic programmes, the staff of the Centre should also actively engage in research, training and development of psycho- educational tools.
How can the best of students be attracted to disability studies?
Insofar as attracting the best students for the programmes are concerned, a national level entrance test should be held in major cities of the country to select the competent candidates with interest in pursuing the career in Disability Studies.
Another important way to encourage talented and promising students/ scholars for opting academic, research and professional career in Disability Studies could be to institute certain scholarships/ fellowships. There could be adequate scope for degree holders of CDS for employment avenues in central and state universities, colleges, national institutes, organisations and donor agencies working in disability sector at national and international levels. Those who achieve excellence in research at doctoral level could also stand good chance of getting Ford Foundation and Commonwealth Fellowship for advanced career in Disability Studies in foreign universities/ academic institutions. For exceptional scholars with outstanding contribution to Disability Studies, there could also be scope for applying for the most prestigious Ed Roberts Post Doctoral Fellowship for higher research in the USA.
What are the steps that need to be taken to establish such an institute? How would it be funded?
The most important step required for Department of Education in Kerala is to constitute a high-power Core Group on Disability Studies Teaching and Research in Schools, Colleges and Universities with the mandate of laying down a broad outline for setting up a Centre for Disability Studies as part of LBS Centre for Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram. Total estimated financial support/grants- in- aid required to meet the expenses against plan headings for a duration of five years could be approximately Rs.10 crore or so. In addition, a Corpus Fund could be instituted so as to make the operation of centre sustainable in due course. In that case the centre might not have to look for financial support/grants at every stage of its institutional development. Insofar as mobilisation/allocation of financial resources is concerned, the Government of Kerala could allocate financial grants-in-aid/support of Rs.10 crore or as much as possible (including the plan expenses on salary and perks of staff for five-year period) for this purpose. The rest Rs.10 crore could be generated by managing part financial support from Thiruvananthapuram/Kerala-based major public sector banks and public sector undertakings.
What are the challenges faced by the disabled in the country today? What other measures can be taken to mitigate those challenges?
Given the gargantuan dimension and complex nature of the problem of disability in India, the greatest need of the hour is neither more programming nor even specific entitlements for the disabled individuals but a re-orientation of policy framework of disability from rights-based approach. Despite launching of plethora of schemes/plans and investing crores of rupees by Government of India on physical and vocational rehabilitation as also legal empowerment, the goal of mainstreaming the persons with disabilities into society is still as far way as ever. There is a wide gap in policy formulation and implementation. Though there is lack of accurate and reliable data on disability in our country it could roughly be assumed that not less than ten per cent of the total population are affected by physical, mental and sensory impairments and around 75 per cent of the total population is concentrated in rural, hilly and far-flung backward regions of developing countries.
If this yardstick is adopted to ascertain the quantum of population incapacitated by various disabling situations in our country, it could come around the staggering figure of ten and eleven crore.
Despite so much brouhaha in policy circles over empowerment of the disabled/disadvantaged, the situation is quite alarming at the grassroots level and a miniscule part of the disabled population has so far been benefited by governmental schemes/programmes. Even the scheme benefits do not go to them without pinches because of rampant corruption involved in delivery of services.
The monitoring and watchdog mechanism put in place has so far failed to ensure delivery of services and justice to the genuine disabled beneficiaries in villages.
In order to focus academic and social attention on the challenges faced by differently-abled persons, the Department of Education has drawn up a proposal to institute a Centre of Excellence for Disability Studies. The Education Minister M. A. Baby chaired the first meeting of a high-level committee constituted to explore the idea of setting up such a Centre. Now, the government is likely to constitute a core committee that would draw up a detailed project for setting up the centre and for offering graduate, postgraduate, and research programmes in disability studies. The core committee is also expected to give the government an idea of the budgetary support required for instituting the centre and other means of mobilising funds for the Centre sustained operations. Those who were present at the meeting include Dr. G. N. Karna member, NHRC Core Group on Disability and Chairman, Working Group on Disability for 11th Five Year Plan (Planning Commission), Dr. G. Lokanadha Reddy Dean, School of Education and Human Resource Development, Dravidian University, Kuppam and K. N. Panikkar the Vice-Chairman of the Kerala State Higher Education Council. “The centre shall focus on studies pertaining to the social, cultural, political, economic and psychological studies of the differently abled. The centre should also provide the government with necessary academic and documentary support for policy formulation and for designing specific programmes for the disabled,” the concept note for the Centre prepared by the government reads. The government initially wanted to name the new centre as one for the ‘study of the differently-abled’. At the committee meeting however, Dr. Karna told Mr. Baby that the appropriate name would be a centre for disability studies. Officials who participated in the committee’s meeting in Thiruvananthapuram told The Hindu-EducationPlus that the government does not see the proposed centre as just an academic body. “There are plans to have a resource and information centre, a rehabilitation centre, counselling centre and capacity building centre at the proposed centre of excellence. So in addition to attracting the best of talents for disability studies, the centre would also be a platform for reaching the fruits of such study and research to persons with disabilities,” an official present at the meeting explained. According to the concept note, the Centre is expected to develop new educational technologies for different categories of the differently-abled persons in both the vocational and general education streams. “The Centre could work in close collaboration with the newly-formed Centre for Engineering Research,” the concept note says. The Centre, proposed to be set up under the LBS, would also be the nodal agency for developing curricula for disability studies and would also provide academic backup to various social inclusion programmes of the government. If the government’s plans materialise, public universities in the State would have a major role to play in disability studies. The proposed Resource and Information Centre would, in all probability, have a presence in all universities in the State. There would also be such a centre in one institution affiliated to a university in every district in Kerala. Inter-disciplinary centres for disability studies would initially be established in one or two universities in the State. Moreover, there would also be an inter-university centre for disability studies which will coordinate academic activities in this discipline. Undergraduate and postgraduate students would be allowed to take one or two credits pertaining to disability studies from such centre. The proposed Centre for Disability Studies is expected to develop new educational technologies for different categories of the differently-abled persons
A new beginning: Education Minister M.A. Baby chairing a meeting of the expert committee constituted to study the founding of an institute for the study of the differently-abled in in Thiruvananthapuram.
It is curtains for fraud agents sending students to Australia using fake documents with the Australian Government suspending agents with such track record. Among the 200 such agents who lost their e-visa applying status this month are lot of Indian agents. It means it will be very difficult for students who prefer to go to Australia using fake academic documents and end up as taxi drivers or part-time workers in shopping malls. Interestingly, it is this group of students who actually end as prey to drug addicts and alcoholics who attack people travelling late night in trains. Majority of students who were attacked in Australia in the last two or three months were sent by such agents submitting fake documents. “They neither have academic credentials nor abilities to integrate into Australian culture,” says Ravi Lochan Singh, former president of the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India (AAERI). Welcoming the suspension, Mr. Ravi says the work in weeding out the rot has just started and there is a need for continuing vigilance. Colleges that admit students submitting fake documents, often referred as “rogue” colleges in the Australian media and official circles, thrive with the help of fraudulent agents. These agents target students from lower socio-economic groups and smaller towns to send them as students for courses like community welfare, cookery and hair styling, which give additional points for Permanent Residency (PR) aspirants. Students from India who go to top universities for their Masters or research are annoyed with such elements landing there using fake documents. “It hurts not only our reputation but also of our country since Indians over the years have created a very high regard for themselves with their professionalism and sincerity,” says Divya, a research student at RMIT University in Melbourne. Ravi Bhatia, CEO of Primus Telecom and highly respected Indian community leader said, “I feel sad for people landing here with fake documents. There is nothing wrong in aiming for PR status but they should come through proper channel and as good professionals even if they choose courses like cookery or community welfare.” Mr. Ravi Lochan Singh, an Australian alumnus himself says fraud agents have sprung up in smaller towns of India selling the Australian dream. He advised students not to fall in their dragnet as it might jeopardise the chances of education as well as migration. Acting High Commissioner of Australia in India, Dr. Lachlan Strahan said, “These measures are to ensure genuine students receive high quality education and enjoy their experience in Australia.” Information on studies, institutions and living costs in Australia is available at www.studyinaustralia.gov.au. Australian government suspends agents sending students using fake documents. Interestingly many of them are Indian 
Vulnerable: Students from lower socio-economic groups and also from smaller towns are easy targets.
•All India PG Entrance Examination (AIPGMEE-2010) for admission to MD, MS, diploma and MDS courses in medical and dental colleges will be held on January 10, 2010. Apply before October 12; web site: www.aiims.ac.in, www.aiims.edu. •Selection test for the RBI young scholars’ award will be held on January 10, 2010. Those who are pursuing undergraduate studies in any subject and come under the age group between 18 and 23 are eligible to apply online before October 21. Web site: www.rbi.org.in/youngscholars.aspx. •GATE 2010 online examinations will be held on February 7, 2010 and offline examinations will be held on February 14. Application forms will be available up to October 30. Web site: www.iitg.ernet.in/gate, http://gate.iitm.ac.in. •Apply online for Joint Management Entrance Test (JMET- 2010) before October 9, 2009. Web site: http://gate.iisc.erent.in. •Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED-2010) will be held on January 17, 2010. Apply online now www.iitb.ac.in/gate. •IIT Madras invites applications for admission to Ph.D. and M.S. programmes in its various departments. Web site: www.msphdapplication.iitm.ac.in, www.iitm.ac.in. •IIM-CAT- 2009 online test will be held from November 28 to December 7. Register before October 1. Web site: www.catiim.in. •ITM Institute of Financial Markets invites applications for admission to PGDM- Financial markets for the year 2009- 11. Graduates in any discipline with 50 per cent marks and having CAT, XAT, MAT score are eligible to apply now. www.itm.ac.in/ifm. •TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, invites application for admission to M.Tech. in electrical and electronics engineering, industrial instrumentation and control.; mechanical engineering; computer integrated manufacturing courses. Apply now www.tkmce.org.in, Phone: 0471- 2712022, 2731021. •Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR), Chennai, invites application for admission to its PG diploma in management. Graduates in any discipline with first class from standard X onwards with CAT or ZAT score can apply. Web site: www.ifmr.ac.in/lp. Phone: 044- 28228193 •XLRI Jamshadpur invites applications for XAT 2010. Apply before November 30, 2009. Web site: www.xlri.edu. •Sainik School, Kazhakoottam, Thiruvananthapuram, invites applications for entrance test to be held on January 3, 2010 for admission to class VI and IX. The test will be conducted at Kazhakkottam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kavaratti in Lakshdweep. Download application form and other details from www.sainikschooltvm.org. •Directorate of Distance Education under the Pondicherry University invites applications for admission to its two-year MBA (Marketing, Finance , International Business, HRM, General) MA (Sociology, Tamil, English, Hindi), M.Com (Finance). Graduates in any discipline can apply. Web site www.pondiuni.edu.in.
The Visvesvaraya Technological University is looking forward to making the campuses of all its affiliated engineering colleges in Karnataka “ragging free.” The recent meeting of principals, hostel wardens, student representatives from affiliated colleges under Belgaum region and police officials convened at VTU’s Jnana Sangama campus in Belgaum is said to be a concrete measure in that direction. The meeting was convened to take fresh stock of the menace of ragging and its disastrous effect on children and their parents in various engineering colleges, particularly those under private managements, and find out ways and means for its complete eradication. “We want to make VTU a ragging-free university,” VTU Registrar K.V.A. Balaji said in his presidential remarks while appealing to the gathering to join hands with the university in achieving the common objective. What was initially considered as having some fun with freshers later took an ugly turn with physical injuries, humiliation and mental torture resulting in deaths and ruining lives. The Supreme Court and the Government of India took serious note of these incidents and even legislated laws to ensure that all such cases of ragging, which are in violation of human rights, shall be tried under the criminal justice system instead of allowing the administrations concerned to deal with the situation. Though incidences of ragging have scaled down to a considerable extent during the last couple of years, it continues to be in vogue in different forms and varying degrees. Fear of law and stray cases of retaliation by juniors helped in bringing some relief, says a student of KLE Engineering College, Belgaum.
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