Supreme Court Directs UGC To Finalise Guidelines For Inspection of Educational Institutions To Ensure Implementation of RPWD Act

The Bench was hearing a Miscellaneous Application arising out of the Apex Court's judgement dated 15.12.2017 - in Disabled Rights Group & Another v Union of India- wherein the Court had accepted the suggestions by the petitioner that educations institutions must ensure proper infrastructure in including special classrooms, sports facilities, libraries, laboratories, teaching methods, recreational facilities etc. Specifically, the Court had directed that:

"Insofar as suggestions given by the petitioner in the form of "Guidelines for Accessibility for Students with Disabilities in Universities/Colleges" are concerned, the UGC shall consider the feasibility thereof by constituting a Committee in this behalf. In this Committee, the UGC would be free to include persons from amongst Central Advisory Board, State Advisory Boards, Chief Commissioner of State Commissioners appointed under the Disabilities Act. This Committee shall undertake a detailed study for making provisions in respect of accessibility as well as pedagogy and would also suggest the modalities for implementing those suggestions, their funding and monitoring, etc. The Committee shall also lay down the time limits within which such suggestions could be implemented. The Expert Committee may also consider feasibility of constituting an in-house body in each educational institution (of teachers, staff, students and parents) for taking care of day to day needs of differently abled persons as well as for implementation of the Schemes that would be devised by the Expert Committee. This exercise shall be completed by June 30, 2018."

On Monday, UGC informed the Court that Visiting teams are being finalized to formulate modalities to carry out inspection of educational institutions to ensure implementation of the provisions of the RPWD Act. Sr Adv Ranjan Sinha for UGC also submitted that the guidelines are to be finalised shortly after which inspections would be undertaken. 

Requesting UGC "to be proactive", the Court directed UGC to ensure that guidelines are finalised before the next date of hearing. The Court further directed that a status report on the inspections made and the guidelines are made available to all stakeholders and uploaded on the website of the UGC.

The matter is to be heard next on 14.03.2022.

Case Title: Disabled Rights Group v Union of India

Citation : 2022 LiveLaw(SC) 50

Read/Download the Order here