Sakthi Meena suffered permanent hearing loss following a corrective surgery to set right her jaw as a child. She continued her education unmindful of her disability. At Dr. Ambedkar Government Arts College, a teacher not only identified her disability but also sent her for review to ENT specialists. She finally received a state-of-the-art hearing aid three years ago. She is now doing her M.Phil and teaches children in her slum to eke out a living.
“Sakthi Meena was the recipient of the University Grants Commission’s fund under the Higher Education for Persons with Special Needs scheme,” says M. Ravichandran, coordinator of the Disability Centre at the college. “The surgeon had advised an expensive surgery but later suggested a high-end hearing end. We used the UGC fund for the equipment. Unfortunately, she was the last beneficiary as the UGC has since suspended the programme,” he rues.
Until two years ago, the UGC provided funds for persons with disability and for remedial programmes for academically weak students. Colleges used the money to coach them for competitive examinations and prepared them for the job market.
An official at the Government Arts College in Coimbatore said it had received Rs. 80 lakh under the scheme in the 11{+t}{+h}Plan period. “For the past two years, the college was not allocated funds for resource persons to conduct remedial coaching or for students with special needs,” says a professor.
The Government Arts College in Salem has six visually challenged teachers who until two years ago received Rs. 3,000 a month to appoint sighted assistants. Perturbed, the college authorities wrote to the UGC about it not receiving funds for remedial coaching.
“Recently we received a directive from the UGC that it would reimburse us. But the academic year is ending and we have used the funds for other projects. Had they advised us earlier, we would have allocated money accordingly. The teachers are currently using their own resources,” rues a college official.
Until two years ago, the UGC provided funds for persons with disability and for remedial programmes for students
