Polio-affected JNU professor writes book on promoting Disability Studies
A Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor, who was affected by polio when he was three, has written a book critically examining the progress made in promoting teaching and research on Disability Studies. He said the UGC hasn't yet constituted a model curriculum development committee on disability studies for its advancement. Disability rights activist, Gajendra Narayan Karna, penned the book 'Curriculum Development on Disability Studies'.
Disability Studies introduced as an academic discipline in 2005
The Discipline of Disability Studies became an academic discipline by the HRD Ministry in September 2005. The UGC was directed to extend support to universities and colleges in setting up special department or center on Disability Studies and also instituting Rajiv Gandhi Chair in Disability Studies in central universities. It was further reinforced by the 11th five-year plan in Working Group on Disability.
However, UGC still hasn't constituted a model curriculum development committee
Karna, however, claimed, "Notwithstanding all these developments, the UGC hasn't taken as yet even the basic initiative of constituting a model curriculum development committee on Disability Studies (as has been done in the case of Gandhian studies, human rights, Dalit studies, and other academic disciplines)."
Over 17 universities have launched Disability Studies but without curriculum
Meanwhile, over 17 universities/academic institutions (including TISS and DU) have moved towards launching Disability Studies programmes, though in a haphazard manner, because of a lack of model curriculum, Karna claimed. Karna, who has been struggling with cancer for the past 18 months, said his book attempts to develop a model curriculum on Disability Studies for various programmes of studies being offered by Indian universities.
