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Disability News India (DNI)

Disability News India (DNI), is a disability News service dedicated to providing a quality up-to-date information to the Indian Disability. DNI's news section is updated two times a week, though we also add breaking stories as and when they occur.



Disability News India – November 2009 Issue



Discounts for disabled people in Himachal government–run hotels

Shimla, Nov 22: Himachal Pradesh will offer a discount of 30 percent on hotel room tariff from next month to disabled people who opt to stay at any of its 57 economy and high–end establishments.

'We are offering a discount of 30 percent to guests with physical disabilities from December 3 (World Disability Day) and will continue till December 20,' said Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corp (HPTDC) managing director Subhashish Panda. disabled guests can also pay for two days and stay for three nights, Panda told IANS, adding: 'HPTDC will bear the lodging expenses for the third day.'

There will be no discount on the food and beverages consumed, Panda clarified.

Earlier, HPTDC had offered special discounts to parents staying at a state–run hotel with a daughter and to people aged 60 years or more.

'In both schemes, we got an overwhelming response. So we decided to offer special discounts for disabled people too before the end of this year,' Panda said. Nestled in the lap of the Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh last year attracted 9.37 million domestic and 367,000 foreign tourists. Kullu and Manali are tourist hotspots, followed by Shimla and Dharamsala.

Source: http://trak.in/news

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CST soon get vehicles to ferry disabled people and senior citizens

Mumbai, 20 Nov: Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) would soon get small vehicles like golf carts to ferry disabled people and senior citizens from one end of the platform to other at its long–distance trains section.

This was revealed by Derek O'Brien, head of the four–member Passenger Service Committee, which was in the city to check the passenger amenities on the suburban railway.

The project called Seva Vahan was also confirmed by Moolchand Chauhan, divisional railway manager of Central Railway (Mumbai division). "As of now, only one Seva Vahan would be commissioned before March 31. This would only take senior citizens and physically–challenged," said a railway officer.

The Jan–Aahar outlet, the Union Rail Minister's pet project, would also soon come up at the Mumbai Central Terminus. "Commuters can now have inexpensive but hygienic food at stations," said O'Brien.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com

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Inclusive Planet makes more accessible print materials through its Web site

CHENNAI, 18 Nov: The iPhone manual is one of the most downloaded documents on this site but bookbole.com isn't a tech site. It's a place for visually impaired and print–disabled people to connect and share books, journals, articles, user manuals and even class notes that have been converted into an accessible format.

The site was started on August 24 this year by Chennai–based copyright lawyer Rahul Cherian and his friends Sachin Malhan from Mumbai and Reuben Jacob from Kochi. It is one of the projects of their company, Inclusive Planet, which aims to create technology–led solutions to challenges faced by disabled people.

Bookbole.com allows the visually impaired to upload material that they've converted into formats that they can read'. It's a collaborative system which means people get to share information with each other, and can also make requests for books, notes, product manuals and more. So, if you're print disabled and need a particular book in a format you can access, you just have to leave a request on the site and one of its 2,000–odd members across 72 countries will probably have it and upload it for you, adding one more to the 15,000 files the site already has. (A person who cannot read printed matter because of a visual, physical, developmental or learning disability is called print disabled, so that would include the blind, autistic, people with cerebral palsy and even the elderly.)

Bookbole is aiming to add one million files by June 2010. Rahul, who is physically challenged, says, "No one else in the world has this kind of collaborative system." And the bookbole folks discovered this at a conference they attended recently in the US. "We were hoping to pick up tips from others doing this, but they told us there was nobody else," says Rahul, laughing.

NGOs that convert books into audio and other formats are also bookbole members. "We have a cataloguing system as we don't want people to replicate work. If a book's already in an accessible format, why should someone else spend time converting it when they can all just share?" says Rahul. Estimates by the World Blind Union put the number of print–disabled people in India between 40 million and 70 million, the largest in the world. "Bookbole's for them a vibrant community for the visually impaired to share useful material and engage in conversations," he says. They're also building a caregiver platform where parents of visually impaired children can connect.

Inclusive Planet is also working to develop an affordable reader a device cheaper than a computer on which they can access the site and run the software tehy need to read' that will take the site to every school in the country. They're also looking to make the site sustainable, which means they're aiming to get publishers on board as well. Chennai's Blaft Publications is among those who have signed up to have their books sold through the site. "Right now, there's a lot of educational material being uploaded. There's also a great demand for material in regional languages. We're hoping magazines and newspapers will eventually become accessible and we're planning separate channels for them," he says.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Children with multiple disabilities need early rehabilitation: Expert

GAYA, 17 Nov: Children with single or multiple disabilities need early rehabilitation and training to bring out the best in them and make them socially useful and acceptable, says Reena Bhandari, an expert in rehabilitation of disabled people.

Bhandari, associated with Voice and Vision, a Mumbai–based NGO working in the field of rehabilitation of children having speech and vision disabilities, was on Monday speaking at a training programme organised by Akansha, a Gaya Institute.

Bhandari regretted that whereas in big cities and towns, facility for rehabilitation of disabled children exist, the semi–urban and rural children do not have access to such facilities, thereby making such children unwanted at home and in society. The rehabilitation expert said with its extensive network, government agencies and their auxiliary units can go a long way in creating awareness and channelising hidden potential of children suffering from one or more physical or mental disability.

In this context, anganbari sevikas can play an important role. By imparting special training to anganbari sevikas in handling children suffering from disabilities, improvement can be made, she added.

Gaya DM Sanjay Kumar, the chief guest on the occasion, readily agreed to motivate and engage anganbari sevikas in identification and data compilation of disabled children.

Uma Nath Bhdani, executive director of Akansha, the institute for mentally disabled children, said that early interventionist strategy and training programme can effect behavioural modification among such children. Through sustained group activities, physiotherapy and vocational training, disabled children can achieve optimal development.

In some cases, lower level of oxygen supply to the newborn child may inflict lifelong disability and as such, extra caution has to be taken.

If something goes wrong during the process of child delivery, immediate remedial measures have to be taken. Awareness, sensitivity and emotional involvement of the parents with the physically challenged child goes a long way in rehabilitating and training disabled children, said Dr Bhadani, a child specialist of the Magadh region.

Forty personnel from Bihar and Jharkhand are being trained at the five–day Continued Rehabilitation and Education Programme (CREP).

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Blind ornithologist wants to create digitised bird–call directory

KOLKATA, 16 Nov: He is blind but can recognise more than 200 types of birds by their calls. He treks in the high Himalayas with gusto, transcending his physical inabilities to commune with nature.

Meet Arup Chakraborty, 54, an employee of Eastern Railway's (ER) commercial division at the Sealdah railway station. Chakraborty is a well–known ornithologist, though for him the dictionary meaning of the word as bird watcher would have to be changed.

He is also an ardent high–altitude trekker and a visitor to various wildlife sanctuaries across India. 'I developed this habit of listening to birds when I was just a kid. I wanted to see the world but could not as I'd lost my vision at a very tender age due to meningitis.

'Sitting by the side of the window in my bedroom, I used to listen to different sounds of birds chirping. Initially, I found it quite difficult to identify one sound from the other. But then I conquered my difficulties,' Chakraborty told IANS.

Now, Chakraborty wishes to create a digitised bird–call directory with his huge collections of chirps.

Chakraborty, who completed his schooling from Calcutta Blind School at Behala, graduated from south Kolkata's Ashutosh College . He joined the railways as an announcer in 1978. Later he enrolled his name in the membership list of Prakriti (nature) Samshad ? a city–based NGO that works with amateur ornithologists.

'The passion to enjoy nature with feeling used to haunt me even when I used to be busy with the railway announcement job. I wanted to climb snow–capped mountains and feel the greenery of forests,' he said, adding he had taped the calls of over 200 types of birds.

Inspired by famous Bengali travel writer Bibhuti Bhushan Bandopadhyay, Chakraborty toured various forests in north Bengal's Dooars, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala and the northeast. He trekked the Garhwal and Kumaon Himalayas, and also trekked to the Pindari glacier located in the upper reaches of the Kumaon Himalayas.

Chakraborty completed a special training course at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling, in 1990. It was designed for visually impaired trekkers.

'Now, my only dream is to create the directory of bird calls which will help thousands of people to identify birds easily. I hope after retirement I will be able to manage adequate time to work on this.

'I also have a dream to impart computer education to visually challenged students so that they can progress in their lives as well,' he said.

Appreciating Chakraborty's rare qualities, Eastern Railway spokesperson Samir Goswami told IANS: 'He's adding a new dimension to ornithology. We encourage him for his welcome initiative.'

His colleagues also praise Chakraborty's adventurous spirit. 'He (Chakraborty) first encouraged me to visit forests and took me to north Bengal. After that, I got addicted to the green charm of Indian forests. Now I have become his life–long companion on forest tours,' said Amit Ghosh, chief controller (coaching), Sealdah.

'To me, Chakraborty has crossed his physical impediment and gone beyond human limitations.

'Now, should we call this person a physically disabled person? Or a disabled man who has enough guts to challenge his physical inabilities?' Ghosh asked.

Source: http://trak.in/news

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Country–wide awareness program begins to educate about disability

NEW DELHI, 13 Nov: In a unique awareness programme on disability, four different groups, each constituting a disabled person and four volunteers, will travel across the country and sensitise people on the issue through personal conversations. The groups will leave the capital Nov. 13.

An initiative of the National Trust, an autonomous organisation of the ministry of social justice and empowerment, the groups will take four different routes across India.

The campaign, called "Badhte Kadam", aims at changing the perspective of people on disability.

The first route will be through Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The second route will cover Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa.

The third group will encompass Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Jharkhand and the fourth will cover Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

At various points along their travel, each team will hold a mobile exhibition highlighting the various feats achieved by people with disabilities, in an attempt to make local communities realise that people with disabilities are no different from others.

Interactions with communities and spreading awareness on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that talks about diversity and the rights of the disabled community to a fulfilled life will also be part of the mission. The teams will return to Delhi Nov 30.

Source: http://www.thaindian.com

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Nana Patekar to launch son in film based on autism

Nov 11: Just like Karan Johar's My Name is Khan starring Shah Rukh Khan, Nana Patekar too intends that his second directorial venture should be based on autism. Nana had earlier directed Prahaar in 1991.

The film, which will mark the debut of Nana's son Malhar as an actor, will be produced by Prakash Jha, who had reportedly broken off all professional ties with Nana because of the actor's hotheadedness. A source claims that Nana is in talks with Reliance Big Pictures to be the presenter of his film.

A source said, "Nana wants a prefect and ambitious launch for his son. The film will go on the floors in February next year and is about the relationship between a father and his autistic son. The film also stars Nana, Om Puri, Atul Kulkarni and Naseeruddin Shah. They are looking for a new female face opposite Malhar."

While Prakash Jha confirmed the news about producing the film, the spokesperson of Reliance Big Pictures said, "These are speculations and we do not wish to comment."

Source: http://movies.indiatimes.com

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No entry for disabled people

AHMEDABAD, 12 Nov: BRTS buses may have ramps and low flooring aligned with bus stops flaunting a disabled–friendly image, but the reality is quite different.

Once launched, BRTS buses seem to have wasted no time in shedding this tag. The aim of facilitating people on wheelchairs to get into the bus directly without any assistance is in complete contrast with the barricades put up inside the BRTS lanes.

According to Dr Bhushan Punani, director of Blind People's Association (BPA), earlier Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) officials had decided to make BRTS disabled–friendly. But all this changed once the service launched.

As per original plan, it was decided that a person on wheelchair would be able to enter the bus stop without any help, but there was a fear of leaving a huge opening for wheelchairs, as it might be used by two wheeler drivers.

"The initiative to have ramps at the bus stop and a platform aligned with the bus was a first–of–its–kind initiative, but all these are useless without any entry."

Punani further said that AMC deployed beepers at junctions for the disabled people, so that when there would a beep sound when signals for walking go green.

Ketan Vaghela who is visually impaired said that they have signals at BPA and University, but none at other bus stops. Hence, it becomes difficult to cross roads. He added that it was expensive for the disabled to travel in BRTS as they were given no concession.

Hence, disabled people prefer to travel by AMTS only. Earlier, while travelling along the ring road took 15 minutes, now people take over 90 minutes to reach BPA.

Associate director CEPT University and chief planner for BRTS Shivanand Swami, said BRTS has not neglected the disabled people. "They are very much a part of the entire system. There are special tiles fixed at bus stops for an easy access. The diagonal bollards on bus stops will be given enough space for a wheel chair to pass through. The efforts are on to make this happen," he added.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Women with disabilities refused entry into night club in Kolkota

Kolkata: A wheelchair–user woman was denied entry into a night club in Kolkata in the wee hours of Sunday with the staff telling her that disabled persons were not entertained. Alka Arora, 36, with sclerosis, an auto–immune disease, that has left her lower limbs immobile.

Alka has filed a complaint with the human rights commission, alleging blatant discrimination. The management of the night club, Shisha, while acknowledging that the guest had been denied because she was in a wheelchair, reasoned that it was for her own safety as the newly renovated club was extremely crowded at that hour.

Alka, her husband Rahul and friends reached Shisha around 1.30 am on Sunday. At the ground floor entrance, Shisha director (operations) Arvind Bhatnagar met the group and told them that the new night club is on the sixth floor while the elevator is available till the fifth. "We told the gentleman we would lift the wheelchair up the stairs and proceeded to the elevator. Amongst us, we managed to negotiate the stairs with the wheelchair. It is only after reaching the club's doorstep that the manager present stopped us and said persons in wheelchairs are not allowed," said Siddharth Rai, a member of the group. "I was at a loss for words. I couldn't believe my ears. In most places, special privileges are extended to people with disabilities," said Rahul.

Though they tried to reason it out, the staff remained unmoved. "The manager on duty at the gate felt it would be unsafe for the guest in the wheelchair. Though the guests said the patient was their responsibility, we did not want to take a chance," Bhatnagar said.

Source: Times of India

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Pension for Bihar disabled people

Patna, Nov. 11: The Bihar government has taken up the onus of caring for disabled people in the state.

"Each and every person with disabilities, including children, will be paid Rs 200 as pension per month," said chief minister Nitish Kumar on education day today, declaring disabled citizens as the state's responsibility.

"There will be no discrimination with regard to the pension. Such people of all ages and caste will be entitled to pension," said Nitish.

"The birth of a special child becomes a source of despair in poor families of Bihar, but no more. The pension should enable parents to raise their child with care," said the chief minister.

The move is Nitish's way of expanding his "constituency" ahead of the Assembly election to be held in 2010. He already has a base among Mahadalits, EBCs and women voters through his innovative schemes promoting them.

He has sanctioned free houses for Mahadalits, a "low" caste Dalit, and has reserved 50 per cent seats in local bodies for women. The government has hiked the EBC quota in jobs and institutes. The state also granted bicycles to girls (students) from economically weak backgrounds and sources close to the chief minister said that a similar scheme would be launched for boys soon.

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com

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NGO seeks job quota for intellectually disabled people

Chandigarh, Nov 10: To highlight the problems being faced by mentally disabled people and to commemorate Mental Health Day, NGO Prayatan held a silent march from the Sector–17 Plaza to the UT Secretariat in Sector 9 on Friday.

Over 100 persons, including mentally disabled children and their parents, participated in the march and presented a memorandum of their demands to the Home Secretary.

Their main demands include counsellors to be provided in each school/ college, setting up of day care centres, reservation in jobs and constituting a crisis management team which would be available round–the –clock, as required under Section 4 of the Mental Health Act, 1987.

Dr Sood, president of the NGO, said: "The problem of mental illness usually develops between the age of 14 and 25 years. It is important to have a counsellor in every school/college, who can monitor children regularly and identify the problem at its initial stage. It is equally important to create awareness among parents so that they do not try to hide their child's illness for fear of social stigma."

He added: "While the government has reserved 3 per cent job quota for disabled people, there is no specific allocation for mentally disabled people. The allotted quota usually goes to other categories of disabled persons because their disability is more visible than mental disability, which happens to be much more serious. A separate quota is therefore essential. "

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com

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Deaf people may get licence to drive

NEW DELHI, 9 Nov: India is one of the few countries in the world where the hearing impaired are not allowed to drive. But this may change soon, with

the government informing the Delhi High Court it is considering changing its rules.

"We are considering issuing driving licences to hearing impaired people and thinking of amending our rules and regulations," Additional Solicitor General A.S. Chandiok informed a division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S. Muralidhar.

The court has granted the government three months' time to take a decision and posted the matter for Dec 16.

At present, the Motor Vehicles Act prohibits the deaf from obtaining a driver's licence on the ground that they could be a source of danger to the public. There are around 50 million hearing impaired in India.

The court was hearing a public interest petition by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), seeking a direction to quash the requirement of having no hearing impairment for the issuance of a driving licence.

According to the NAD, the deaf are allowed to drive all over the world except in 26 countries including India.

"The only reason why India is not willing to issue licences is that Indian vehicles lack the special gadgets that other countries' vehicles have. But we are considering the same and hoping that we will be able to amend some rules," Chandiok informed the bench.

According to medical experts, those who can hear up to 60 decibels with the use of a hearing aid can be permitted to hold a driving licence for private vehicles, while those with a hearing level of up to 40 decibels with hearing aid can be allowed to drive commercial vehicles.

According to the petitioner, even the Delhi Police website indicates that deaf people can drive and states, "There is no reason why a deaf person cannot drive a private motorcar. However, the possibility of additional rear vision mirrors may need to be considered."

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

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Disability stickers for parking help

CHANDIGARH: Finding a spot in the city's choked parking lots can be quite an ordeal, especially during peak hours. Trying to make things easier for disabled people, UT administration is working on a proposal to issue them special stickers entitling free parking.

Home secretary Ram Niwas has asked the social welfare department to put up a proposal for launching the sticker on World Disability Day that falls on December 3. Officials have been directed to iron out modalities with municipal corporation and other wings concerned so that disabled people are allowed free parking in busy markets and in front of government departments like estate office. Senior citizens with disabilities would be eligible for the benefit.

The HS has also given directions for working out a policy for honouring persons with disabilities who're working with UT administration.

Senior secretary of All India Blind Employees Association Davinder Singh Saini said parking permits for the physically challenged would make travelling in the city much more convenient for them. The label will ensure instant identification, he added. No disabled person has ever been honoured by the administration for contribution to the society, said Saini.

Niwas has asked the social welfare department to draw up a list of probable disabled employees and people from general public who could be considered for the administrator medal and other awards.

UT administration has also given directions for implementation of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Act, 1995, in all departments. While 3% reservation is being observed in case of recruitment, most UT departments are not following orders when it comes to promotions, a UT official said

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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A college for students with disabilities, first in state

Nov 09: The State on Sunday got its first dedicated college for students with disabilities. The Sanskardham Academy Junior College in Goregaon has been set up especially for students with impaired hearing.

It will offer arts and commerce courses for Classes XI and XII under the HSC board.

Mumbai has 18 municipal schools and around 143 private schools for physically and mentally disabled children but does not have a college specifically for disabled people.

Funded by the Rotary Club of Mumbai, the college will start classes from the 2010–11 session. It has an intake capacity of 100 students.

The Sanskardham Academy has been running a school for autistic children and physically impaired students for 18 months. "Because there is no college specifically for disabled people , they have to opt for mainstream colleges where they find it difficult. Few of them become graduates and most end up in vocational or menial jobs," principal Lata Nayak said.

The college will be open to students from all economic backgrounds. "Fees will be subsidized for students from the economically backward classes," Nayak said.

The faculty will comprise lecturers from mainstream colleges, who will be helped by qualified sign language interpreters. Nayak said the focus will be on enabling these students to read and write English. "Ninety per cent of disabled students come from a Hindi or Marathi medium background," Nayak said.

The interpreters will instruct students in a systematic sign language that will help students learn basic words in English.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com

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IMA holds motivational event for people with disabilities

KANPUR, 8 Nov: With an aim to encourage disabled persons and bring them to the mainstream of society, the Indian Medical Association, Kanpur, organised a motivational programme on the "mobility solution for disabled persons " and a rally from Arya Nagar to Motijheel on Sunday.

"Around 10 per cent of the total population of our country is disabled people," claimed Dr SK Agrawal, president of the Indian Association of Muscular Dystrophy (UP). He said: "There are a large number of disabled people who possess a normal brain, but are not able to get their due. As per the disability Act 1995, it is mandatory that all public places, schools, parks, markets, offices should be 'barrier free' so that a person in a wheelchair can move easily. But, this is generally not followed."

Speaking on the issue, Dr Manisha Agrawal, co–convener, said: "As spectacles were invented for vision disability, mobility solutions should be there for disabled people." She appealed to the society to empathise with such people by providing them mobility so that the they could regain their confidence.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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SC stays HC order on job reservation for disabled people

New Delhi, Nov 6: The Supreme Court today stayed the Delhi High Court order directing the Centre to provide three per cent job reservation for persons with disabilities mandated under a special legislation which includes one per cent for visually–impaired candidates.

"We are staying the directions of the High Court. The directions are prima facie incorrect," a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices P Sathasivam and Deepak Verma said.

However, the Bench clarified it was not staying the Disabilities Act under which three per cent jobs should be reserved for disabled persons, including one per cent for visually–impaired candidates.

It also said the interim directions passed by it earlier would prevail.

Source: http://www.ptinews.com

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Action plan for women with disabilities soon: Bengal panel

Kolkata, Nov 3: The West Bengal Women's Commission is planning to come out with a comprehensive action document with recommendations for bettering the lot of disabled women in the state, its chief said Tuesday.

The commission is now preparing a blueprint before holding dialogue with policy makers, government officials and stakeholders on how to bring changes to the life of women with disabilities (WWD).

"We'll shortly convene a meeting inviting state government officials concerned, policymakers, stakeholders and other representatives who are working closely in this field to prepare a comprehensive action plan for the WWDs in our state," WBWC chairperson Malini Bhattacharya said at a South Asian seminar organised by Association for Women With Disabilities (AWWD) here.

She said the commission had received a letter this year from the office of the state disability commission to participate in the government task force that was formed to restore rights of disabled women.

"Earlier, we were not included in that government task force which was aimed at the social development of disbled women," Bhattacharya said.

The AWWD took up an ambitious project, "Creating Spaces for Women with Disabilities", in 2007 with international partners like Healthlink Worldwide and collaborated with like–minded organisations in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The programme, funded by Britain's Department for International Development (DFID), was designed for disabled women from across south Asia to help them win equal rights and fight against discrimination.

A large number of participants from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal attended the round table discussion that discussed the present situation of disabled women in the region.

Source: http://www.thaindian.com

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GTU yet to fix criteria for disabled students

Ahmedabad, 3 Nov: The Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has failed to implement the guidelines set up by the Gujarat High Court in connection with fixing special passing standards for disabled students.

The High Court order follows the complaint by one 17–year–old girl, Rachna Shah, who is hearing impaired and was declared to have failed in all six subjects. On September 17, Rachna Shah, heaved a sigh of relief when she was allowed to take her diploma examination after a prolonged legal battle for justice as court fixed 20% criteria as passing score for disabled students.

Rachna approached the HC demanding transparency in evaluation system, to fix 20% criteria as passing score for disabled students, and also to allow her to sit in the third semester.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice KS Radhakrishnan and Justice Akil Kureshi heard her case and were appalled at the varsity's insensitivity towards the physically challenged student.

However, even after more than a month elapsed no steps were being taken by the GTU regarding fixing special passing standards for the disabled and for the hearing impaired.

Talking to DNA, Rachna Shah's maternal grandfather Vinay Uchat said, "I believe the issue regarding fixing special passing standards for the disabled and for hearing impared is under active consideration of the government and the university as directed by the High Court." He further urged that the passing marks in Diploma Courses including the course undertaken by Rachna should be fixed at 20% of the total marks as it is done by Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Board.

Moreover, even after Gujarat High Court observation there are still anomalies in the results declared by Gujarat Technological University. Uchat further said as the order of Gujarat High Court, Rachna was allowed to give examination of subjects of second semester Diploma in Electronics & Communication as the time of remedial test conducted for the second semester for the students who took the said examination in June, 2009 considering it as Rachna's first trial and not remedial examination.

Accordingly, Rachna appeared for the IInd semester examination on September 18 – 23 and appeared for all eight subjects of II semester of Diploma in Electronics & Communication, ie six theory subjects and two non–theory subjects.

In the results declared, the E/M/I component was not mentioned, nor was the SPI and CPI data given.

Uchat also said apart from these there still exist anomalies in the results declaredby GTU, while in the results published in internet Rachna was awarded DD grade in Applied Science II, however, the results she received through registered AD in the same subject, Applied Science II she was awarded CC grade.Moreover, Rachna Shah made several communication to concerned authorities though there were no replies from concerned authorities.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com

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Visually–impaired armed with computer literacy

BANGALORE, 1 Nov: Standing by their motto 'Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya', the National Association for the Blind (NAB) empowered a fresh batch of students with computer education on Saturday. A contagious sense of accomplishment filled the room when the batch graduated.

Thirty–six students of the Karnataka branch of NAB received NIIT certificates in basic computer course. Subhash Dhar, senior vice– president, Infosys Techonology, distributed the certificates to the 25th batch of graduates. The Karnataka branch is the only one that offers four–month basic and one–year advanced programming computer courses. It has successfully trained 250 students in basics and 25 in advanced programming since 2000. The graduates have been placed at firms such as Infosys, IBM and Oracle.

The students are trained by NIIT–qualified faculty who use a special software which reads out text on the screen. One of the fresh graduates, Jeevan Reddy, said: "Our faculty is very helpful. We use a software called JAWS –– Job Access With Speech – which is designed keeping the visually–impaired in mind. My ambition is to become an IT programmer."

Subhash Dhar said: "Physical ability or disability is not important. Courage and conviction can overcome any hurdle. These students are evidence of that. They are the most motivated people I have come across in life."

NAB also provides free training in mobility, rehabilitation & basic skills, and music.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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HC comes to the aid of visually impaired

BANGALORE, 30 Oct: The division Bench of Karnataka high court on Thursday directed authorities to keep vacant 49 primary school posts for visually impaired out of the 4,928 posts, for which selection process has been initiated. The court also directed authorities to accept applications from eligible candidates among visually impaired.

"There is a division Bench order to reserve 1% posts for visually impaired persons. Still, you do not comply. So we'll have to initiate suo–motu contempt," the Bench said.

"The authorities are not accepting applications despite a division–Bench order fixing 1% reservation in this category," Joyna Kothari, counsel for the petitioner organization National Federation for Blind told the court. The entrance exam for the selection was held on September 13.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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