Challenges encountered by persons with disabilities in accessing higher education in India

Abstract

In the context of Education, Equity is a commitment of the public education system in the direction of social justice to persons with disabilities. Education became the hope for liberation and enlightenment of the persons with disabilities. Higher education enhances employment prospects and thus creates a dignified and productive life for persons with disabilities. The inclusion of students with disabilities is very less seen in higher education. Students with disabilities have to triumph over the dual obstacle of academic expectations combined with the disability in higher education. After reviewing the existing policies and programmes in India, meager work found that in the higher education of disabilities. Different types of students with disabilities experience a number of problems in higher education, due to this neither enrolling in higher education nor finishing their studies.  In this article an overview of disabilities, problems and barriers such as Infrastructural facilities within institutions, attitudes towards disabilities, transportation facilities, lack of assistive devices, support services and awareness about financial assistance are few areas, that students with different disabilities encounter in their higher education is specified, which hinders the entry of students with disabilities into higher education in India. The recent amendment in policies put up pressure on Higher Education system of India to restructure the approaches to address the issues in higher education for the benefit of students with disabilities.