Supreme Court gives UGC eight weeks to frame guidelines to provide ease of access to diffabled students

The Supreme Court, on January 10, directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to formulate guidelines for the ease of access to differently-abled students in universities and colleges across the country within eight weeks. Advocate Manoj Ranjan Sinha, appearing for the UGC, told the Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna that a committee has already been constituted following the direction of the court.

The top court was hearing an application filed in the writ petition by a disability rights group. The court's directions came after Sinha requested for another eight weeks to frame the guidelines considering the evolving COVID situation. The Bench then posted the matter for further hearing on March 14. The top court had directed the UGC to set up a committee in 2017.

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The court had earlier said, "In this Committee, the UGC would be free to include persons from amongst Central Advisory Board, State Advisory Boards, Chief Commissioner or State Commissioners appointed under the Disabilities Act. This Committee shall undertake a detailed study for making provisions in respect of accessibility as well as pedagogy and would also suggest the modalities for implementing those suggestions, their funding and monitoring." It had added that the expert committee may also consider constituting an in-house body -- of teachers, staff, students and parents -- in educational institutions to take care of the day to day needs of students with disabilities