HPU to be developed as 'model disabled accessible hill university'

Sikander Kumar, the Vice-Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), has informed that the varsity is being developed as 'model disabled accessible hill university' in India.

An accessible library has already been set up in the varsity to help achieve this target where visually impaired students can read books on the computer through talking software. A new section of the accessible library with 17 computers will further come up by the end of this month.

The university web portal is also fully accessible to the visually impaired. Free education for the disabled students, scholarship, 5% reservation in seats and 4% reservation in jobs is already been provided to them.

This year, a record 7 disabled HPU students, which includes 5 visually impaired, has made the state proud by qualifying the UGC NET.

Kumar said, "Muskan, a young singer, especially made us proud as the Election Commission of India declared her brand ambassador for the last vidhan sabha elections and presently she is performing in the United States. Now, another visually impaired student Shweta Sharma is following Muskan's footprints in the field of singing."