The Delhi high court on Wednesday extracted an assurance from the Delhi University that all grievances of visually impaired students especially regarding mandatory courses in mathematics and science will be addressed before the commencement of the four-year programme later this month.

Delhi University informed the court that 362 visually impaired students have secured admission for the course “All recommendations of an empowered committee will be implemented and it will be ensured that such students do not face any problem in pursuing the course”, senior lawyer Pinky Anand appearing for the DU told a bench headed by acting chief justice BD Ahmed.

Anand said special reading materials in mathematics and science, other methodological supports, laptops with special software will be made available for such students. She said visually impaired teachers in all colleges were also being consulted on how to make things easy for such students.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by NGO ‘sambhavna’ challenging implementation of the course in present form. Terming the course discriminatory, its lawyer Pankaj Sinha contended the visually impaired will be left out of the main stream education system.

The NGO raised objections on various counts, chief among them being that two mandatory foundation courses based on mathematics and science would be a hurdle for visually challenged students.

Sinha, a visually impaired lawyer, told the court that students with visual impairment are exempted from studying science and Math's after class eight in some cases and after class ten in most cases.

He said with the university making these foundation courses compulsory, which will require prior knowledge of these subjects, it would be unfair to the students if requisite arrangements are not made in advance.

source: Hindustan Times