SAMBHAVANA Vs. UNIVERSITY OF DELHI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted.

(2.) The appellant-organisation invoked the jurisdiction of the High Court of Delhi in WP(C) No. 2982 of 2013 for issue of a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondent-University to make provisions to introduce a bridge course for students with vision impairment in the first year of four years under graduate programme so that they can easily pursue the foundation course and become part of mainstream education system; issue a direction to the respondent to introduce a foundation course in the second year of the four years for under graduate programme; command the respondent to provide accessible reading materials and to make provisions for training of the teachers who will teach the students in "Mathematics" and "Science and Life" in the four years under graduate programme and further to issue a writ or direction to the respondent to provide representation to the persons with disabilities or organizations working for the cause of disability as the members of the Task Force, Academic Council, Executive Council or any other body of the Delhi University so that needs of the persons with disabilities can also be taken into consideration while introducing a new four year under graduate programme with multiple degree and framing appropriate syllabus for the said programme.

(3.) Before the High Court, the respondent-University entered appearance and produced a notification dated 14th May, 2013 which indicated that an Empowered Committee had been constituted consisting of fourteen academicians to look into the special needs of the students with disabilities and suggestions for suitable modifications would be made in curricula, mode of instructions and assessment to the Vice Chancellor of the University. It was submitted that the Empowered Committee has been asked to submit an interim report on (a) measures that need to be taken to modify the curricula keeping in mind the special needs of persons with disability; (b) steps to be taken to improve availability of reading materials; and (c) to examine the measures currently in place in the internal assessment scheme and examination pattern and further changes that could be made in that regard. It was suggested before the High Court that the appellant- organisation could also make suggestions to the said Empowered Committee so that the same would be taken note of before the report is submitted to the Vice Chancellor.