The India University Grants Commission have updated the standards for accessibility in higher education. This will be beneficial for students with disability and students from disadvantaged backgrounds: The Comprehensive Accessibility Guidelines and Standards for Higher Education Institutions and Universities (CAGSHEIU)
The CAGSHEIU has been released in response to the National Education Policy recommendations that came out in 2020. These recommendations asked that changes be made to a range of things from the flexibility of timetable scheduling to counselling.
The CAGSHEIU will make the campuses of India physically and technologically more accessible. There will be more emphasis on making sure that online content that is distributed to students is accessible.
An example of the ways these guidelines will change classroom is preferential seating. Preferential seating could allow for students who need breaks to sit at the back so they can more easily leave the class. Some students, such as those students with autism or mental health challenges, can work more efficiently if they focus in on the important sections of the class but can take breaks outside the classroom.
The CAGSHEIU still has its limitations but overall, it is incredibly exciting to see the changes made to the accessibility to universities in India.
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