Protest Decision to Shutdown NIVH Secunderabad & Kolkata

December 17, 2020

Press Statement

The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) lodges its strong protest against the decision of the National Institute of Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities, Dehradun to close down its regional chapters in Secunderabad & Kolkata.

Run by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, hundreds of visually impaired students, mainly from poorer economic backgrounds, join these regional centres every year for pursuing various courses towards enabling them to become economically independent. Both these regional centres were established in 1997.

The formation of such institutes and regional centres were in pursuit  of the country’s commitment to provide equal opportunities to one of the most marginalised and discriminated sections of our society.

The closure of these regional centres will impact not just students currently enrolled there, but locks the door on all future students from the concerned regions. The shutting down of the centres will also adversely impact free distribution of aids and appliances under government schemes, which were being done through these chapters.

The winding up of these regional centres cannot be seen in isolation. They are in pursuance of the New Education Policy 2020, whose thrust is commercialisation of education and the abdication of the State’s responsibility. When education becomes a commodity, the poor and the marginalised will be impacted more adversely.

Notwithstanding its rhetoric of commitment to the disabled, and coining patronising terms like “divyang”, all its actions have been on the contrary.

The NPRD urges upon the government not to ahead with the closure of these centres.

The West Bengal and Telangana affiliates of the NPRD will be holding demonstrations before the concerned regional centres to protest against this ill-advised regressive move.


(Muralidharan)
General Secretary

--
National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD)
36, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla Lane
New Delhi 110 001
Tel. 11-23387674; 9868768543