Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 28

Government College for Girls, Rakh Bagh, has come up with a special initiative to support, encourage, help and enable those who are disabled by enrolling special students in the 'Handicap Enabling Cell'.

At present, there are 17 students enrolled under this cell and 16 are pursuing graduation, while one is a post-graduate student. Students not only from the district, but from the neighbouring states are also studying under 

this cell.

Anita Sharma, who heads the cell, said the cell was started in 2000. The number of students increased when the college received a grant from the UGC for audio-visual aids.

"Now, we have proper audio-visual aids for them. A separate Braille corner in the library has also been developed, where visually challenged students read newspapers and magazines. A ramp was specially made for these students so that there is no problem in their mobility," said Anita Sharma. 

She said, job-oriented seminars, short-term courses are introduced for these students so that they can become economically independent once they pass out the college. Many donors also help by paying the fee for such students and hostellers are given free accommodation. 

Kashish, a student of BA-II, who is afflicted with polio, is helped by her fellow friends in college. "My father drops me to college every day, and while I am in college, my fellow friends, who are also a part of the cell, help me in moving around in the college. They never let me row my chair, it is they who do the needful every time I need to go from one class to another," she said.

Shobha, a visually challenged student, who is also pursuing her graduation from the college, is a hosteller. Daughter of a rickshaw puller, she had never thought of studying in such a good college, but today, she is living in a hostel as well.  The college provides writers to blind students. 

"My friends and my teachers are very cooperative. I am allowed to carry a recorder to my classroom. I record my lessons and later make notes in the evening. In exams also, we are given extra time. I am comfortable studying here as the environment here is friendly," she said.

Satwinder Kaur, another visually challenged student from Malerkotla, is also a hosteller and Kiran, a partially blind student belongs to Haridwar. They said they were thankful to their teachers and friends who never let them feel that they are less than anybody else in the college.

Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/special-care-for-the-special-ones/459018.html