Why are institutes still using the word “handicapped”?

The Hindu, 24 June 2015, New Delhi

A year after an advisory by the Union Ministry of Social Justices and Empowerment stating that various national institutes for persons with disabilities should discard the use of the word “handicapped” in their institute name and rename them — institutes continue to flout the recommendation and stick to “discriminatory names”.

National institutes such as National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, National Institute of Mentally Handicapped, National Institute of Visually Handicapped and National Institute for Orthopaedically Handicapped were instructed to remove the word “handicapped”, but to no avail.

“The word is simply not going away despite instructions to do away and replace it,” said disability activist Satendra Singh, Assistant Professor at University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur hospitals.

“I wrote to the directors of these national institutes asking why the name hasn’t been changed so far. Nobody replied except the National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped. Even when the consultation and change was done last year, no consultation was done with disabled people organisations,” said Dr. Singh.

He filed an RTI application asking about the ban on the expression of the word “handicapped” and renaming national institutes accordingly.

“The response from the Ministry stated that that the file dealing with this issue was not readily traceable in the division. The information will be provided as and when the file is traced in the division,” said Dr. Singh.

He applied again in May and got a response stating that “a committee was set up under the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and directors of the national institutes suggested following names in names for the establishments.’’

Boxed image: Name Game

1.      2007: India has ratified UNCRPD which makes it legally binding to harmonise all existing laws and policies in line with UNCRPD. The Convention uses the terminology ‘Persons with Disabilities’.

2012: The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities  banned the expression “handicapped”. 

1.      2014: Deptt of Disability Affairs was renamed as Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

S.No	Name of the Institute	Name suggested by the committee
1.	Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped	Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Persons with Physical Disabilities
2.	National Institute for Orthopedically Handicapped	National Institute for Persons with Locomotor Disabilities
3.	Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped	Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Persons with Speech & Hearing Disabilities
4.	National Institute for Mentally Handicapped	National Institute for Persons with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities
5.	National Institute for Visually Handicapped	National Institute for Persons with Visual Disabilities

The RTI added that the committee felt that there was no need to change the names of National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities and Swami Vivekanand National Institute for Rehabilitation, Training and Research as they do not involve the expression handicapped.

“Negative terminology fosters attitudinal barriers. What is also shocking is the fact the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment doesn’t have the facility to provide information (circulars or RTI responses) in Braille. They told me that this information can be formatted only at the National Institute for Visually Handicapped, Dehradun,” said Dr. Singh.

While the directors of the institute refused to comment on the issue saying they were not authorised to speak to the media, a senior ministry official said the change of name was a long drawn process and takes time.


Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/why-are-institutes-still-using-the-word-handicapped/article7348415.ece

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (#IDPD)

On Int'l Day of Ppl with Disabilities (#IDPD), TOI covers my plea to include disability education into medical curriculum.

As per WRD, people with disabilities are TWICE as likely to find health care provider skills and equipment inadequate to meet their needs; THREE times as likely to be denied care; and FOUR times as likely to be treated badly by health care providers. 

The new introduction by the UN of the ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) and the legal obligation as we have ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities [UN CRPD 2006, Article 25 (d)] provides an impetus to re-ground disability medical education on the social model rather medical model. It has been shown that introduction of short disability courses appears to change medical students association of depersonalized or negative words with disability.

Office of Chief Commissioner for Disabilities has already instructed MCI that “doctors not trained on rehabilitation should restrict their treatment of children with disabilities to their medical illness/disease or else action be initiated against such practices under relevant section of MCI.

Competencies and guidelines to assist Indian doctors in caring for patients with disabilities have yet to be established, thus making educational goals unclear. This becomes of utmost importance as the ‘Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill’ includes 19 disabilities. The new curriculum therefore should involve people with disabilities and educational strategies must use standardized patients with disabilities rather than non-disabled feigning disability. A number of medical schools abroad have acknowledged the expertise that people with disabilities can bring to medical education by including them as teachers.

Regulation 1.9 of Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics), Regulations, 2002 states that , “The physician shall observe the laws of the country and observe the provisions of the State Acts like Mental Health Act, 1987; PwD Act 1995. 

Read the full TOI report here.

UPSC asked to withdraw proforma which demands photographs showing disability

CNN IBN
Published on Oct 14, 2014

In an interim reprieve for the differently abled Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) aspirants, the Court of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disability has directed the commission to withdraw its proforma in which applicants had to provide photographs showing their disability as a proof.

The order has been issued after Satendra Singh, who claimed that he was earlier rejected by UPSC because of his disability, complained against the new directive. "Despite valid certificates, why was UPSC asking for photographs," he had questioned.

Source: CNN IBN 

Finally UPSC asked to withdraw its 'discriminatory proforma' for disabled applicants

UPSC directed to withdraw its ‘discriminatory proforma’

The hindu, october 8 

The format asks applicants to paste ‘photo showing disability’

The Court of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disability has directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to withdraw its “discriminatory performa”. It has directed the UPSC to refrain from asking differently-abled people to submit photographs showing their disabilities and to consider the ‘permanent disability certificate’ issued from a government hospital as a valid proof.

The action comes following an intervention by Satendra Singh, who has been working in the area of disability rights and had written to the UPSC against “its discriminatory policies”.

“Despite having a valid disability certificate, the UPSC asks all applicants to use their own format for disability certificate. This is against the existing guidelines but nobody challenged the UPSC. Moreover, the format asks applicants to paste ‘photo showing disability’, which is not only discriminatory but also infringement of right to privacy. An example – how can an amputee female attach her photograph?’’ asked Dr. Singh.

He added that in a follow-up to his complaint, he also quoted the Amended Persons with Disabilities Rules 2009, which were circulated to all the Ministries/Departments.

“The amended rules show the format to be used for disability certificate and none of them asks ‘to showcase disability’,” said the physician.

He further pointed out that Rule 6 of the same order clearly states that a certificate issued under Rule 4 is to be generally valid for all purpose. “When a person already has a valid government certificate of permanent disability why does he have to get his disability certificate again in the prescribed form of the UPSC?’’ questioned Dr. Singh.

The Court of CCPD accepting the plea presented by Dr. Singh has now passed a direction to the UPSC to accept disability certificate issued by government hospitals in the existing format.

In its letter to UPSC, the Court has noted: “The Chief Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities has directed to accept the disability certificate of the persons with disabilities in the existing format. Your comments in the matter are to reach Court within 20 days of the recipient of the communication (dated September 22).”

Source: The Hindu, 7 Oct 2014.

Disability Court gives DGCA 30 days to prove disabled flyers are not harassed

DGCA given 30 days to prove disabled not harassed

15 Sept, 2014 NEW DELHI: The court of the chief commissioner for persons with disabilities (CCPD) has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to reply within 30 days, with proof, that people with disabilities are not being harassed or humiliated at airports and that security personnel have been sensitized towards them. The court wrote to DGCA after a person with locomotor disability claimed he was harassed and humiliated at Hyderabad Airport.

TOI had reported that on February 23, Dr Satendra Singh, who was travelling from Hyderabad to Delhi, was asked by security at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport to remove his leg brace during frisking. Singh, who teaches at the University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi University, has post-polio residual paralysis and uses a knee-foot-ankle-orthosis (KFAO) also called a caliper or brace, for support.

On March 10, Singh had complained to Arvind Ranjan, director general (CISF) and the CCPD. On March 30, CISF organized a workshop on 'soft skills' for handling disabled passengers where Singh was invited to share his views on frisking of people with disabilities. Top CISF and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) officials were also present at the session.

Source: TOI dated 15 Sept

Also read in same blog:

DU professor with disability harassed at Hyderabad airport

Harassed at Hyderabad airport, says disability activist

Director General CISF responds to my 'Hyderabad Harassment' complaint

Plea to use milimeter wave technology for dignified flying

Election Commission warned to make websites disabled friendly

The Hindu, 18 Aug 2014
The ECI has been given a 30-day deadline (from July 31 onwards) to comply and make amends.

Pressure from disability rights activists has prompted the Court of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities to issue a stern warning and ultimatum to the Election Commission of India (ECI) asking it to make its website user friendly for persons with disability.

The ECI has been given a 30-day deadline (from July 31 onwards) to comply and make amends.

Dr. Satendra Singh, a polio survivor and assistant professor of physiology at the University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, who has been pursuing the case said: “The ECI has been directed to intimate the Court of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities within 30 days about the action taken on the direction.”

Dr. Singh added that while Delhi has made its website accessible for persons with disability the same has not been made available to the rest of the country.

“The visually impaired need to have a user-friendly website to ensure that they are able to make an informed choice before voting. Though we have been appealing to the ECI since December last year there has been no response from them,” said Dr. Singh.

“Despite my letters, the ECI did not budge and did not make their website accessible to disabled voters. There are Prime Minister Office (PMO) orders as well as guidelines whereby all government institutions must make their websites disabled-friendly. However, we are hoping that things will improve now,” said Dr. Singh.

Accusing the ECI of having violated the orders issued by the PMO in 2010, Dr. Singh said: “The current direction by the Court of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities we hope will work favourably for the persons with disabilities and give them the right to vote in a well informed manner.’’

Source: The Hindu

CCPD's notice to ECI to make general elections 2014 disabled-friendly

An Open letter to Chief Justice of India requesting Supreme Court to intervene and allow disabled voters to vote again in Delhi Elections

An Open letter to Hon’able Chief Justice of India requesting Supreme Court to intervene and allow disabled voters to vote again in Delhi Elections

Dear Sir,

I wish to write to you on an issue of national importance. The recently concluded Delhi Elections prevented a sizeable number of voters with disability to vote. This was publicized as the most high-tech polls ever but for disabled voters, it was like ostracizing in their own country. Live webcast notwithstanding, architectural, attitudinal and technological barriers confronted voters with disabilities while exercising their right to vote:  no Braille signs or ramps, an absence of Sign Language interpreters, no automatic door openers, narrow doorways and inaccessible voting machines.

On what basis does the capital of world’s largest democracy legally deprive an estimated 80,000 voters with disability of this fundamental civic right?  Despite Supreme Court orders, publicity towards disabled friendly polling booths was nil. On International Day of Persons with Disabilities (just a day before the elections), the issues were raised in media but false assurances were given. No efforts were made by the Election Commission to raise the awareness even on World Disability Day. Despite PMO orders, CCPD orders, NIC guidelines, the website of Election Commission of India is inaccessible to voters with visual impairments.

On the D-day itself many voters with disability could not vote. Not only this was highlighted in the media but a complaint was sent by me to the Election Commissioner which is still not acknowledged. Shivani Gupta, an access consultant and a wheelchair user is regularly nominated by the Government of India as a subject expert to advice on issues and policies relating to accessibility. The recipient of National (Role Model) Award given by the President of India (2004) could not vote because of the insensitivity.

As per a media report there are 80,000 voters with disability in India. Since the results are not yet out and there was widespread deprivation of the rights of disabled voters, I request you to take suo moto cognizance of this and as a special case, stop declaration of result till disabled voters are called again and allowed to vote. The ink marking will easily allow identifying voters with disability who could not vote. This may seem a tedious exercise but it will respect the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities.

The voters with disabilities (around 80,000 in Delhi and 4.5 crore in India); capital of India; whole of India as well as the world can get a stronger message if the highest apex body in India can uphold the rights of world’s largest minority (persons with disabilities). We take pride in being world’s largest democracy and we look up to you respect the voting rights of persons with disabilities.

With regards,

Dr Satendra Singh (disabled and proud)

6 December 2013

Raw Deal for Physically Challanged Voters

The Supreme Court order of 2007 to Chief Election Commissioner was the result of a letter written to the Chief Justice of India by Mr Javed Abidi, convener of the Disabled Rights Group (DRG) before the 2004 election, demanding that necessary steps be taken to make the polling process accessible to the disabled. The letter was converted into public interest litigation (PIL). Apart from ramps in polling booths and Braille-enabled EVMs, the Supreme Court judgment also says that poll personnel must be sensitised to the special needs of the disabled (hearing impaired) and be courteous to them.

This was publicized as the most high-tech polls ever but for disabled voters, it was like ostracizing in their own country. Live webcast notwithstanding, architectural, attitudinal and technological barriers confronted voters with disabilities while exercising their right to vote:  no Braille signs or ramps, an absence of Sign Language interpreters, no automatic door openers, narrow doorways and inaccessible voting machines.

On what basis does the capital of world’s largest democracy legally deprive an estimated 80,000 voters with disability of this fundamental civic right?  I complained it to the election commission as well as Chief and State Commissioner’s of Persons with Disability.

Today’s Statesman has also covered the story on page 2. Sharing it here:

RAW DEAL FOR PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED VOTERS

By Chandan Prakash Singh (singh.chandan@thestatesman.net)

New Delhi, 4 December 2013, The Staesman (Delhi Edition, page 2)

The lack of ramps and Braille signs at several polling booths, led physically challenged voters, including first timers,having a tough time in exercising their franchise for the Delhi Assembly election today.

According to Dr Satendra Singh, professor at the University College of medical Sciences (UCMS) and GTB Hospital, despite clear guidelines from the Supreme Court, disabled voters were not informed about accessible polling booths either on radio or newspapers.

“The polling booth at a training centre outside GTB Hospital, Dilshad Garden, had no ramp or Braille signage facility as several of my students, including the first timers, faced lots of trouble while casting their votes. This was just one example of such mismanagement noticed while polling as there were numerous booths.” said Dr Singh.

Ms Abha Khetarpal, wheelchair user and the president of 'Cross the Hurdles' organization, said:
"Polling booth number A 28 at Subhash Nagar, where I was supposed to cast my vote, had no ramps for wheelchairs and no Braille stickers.” She said polling booths number 11, 12, 13, 14 in Rajokri had no ramps and Braille stickers. Besides, polling booth number 13 in Rajokri had seven stairs which was inaccessible for physically disabled people.

“How can it be called government for the people, by the people and for the people. If we report this to media they ask for proof of this with pictures which is not allowed. Said Ms Khetarpal.

Shivani Gupta, another wheelchair user and President of 'AccessAbility' organization, could not cast her vote due to inaccessibility of her polling booth.

Similar situations were noticed at Mundka (Nitholi) in North West Delhi which was completely inaccessible. Some disabled voters were also seen taking pictures of booth where wheelchair users could not enter.

“I am marking the complaint to Chief Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities and State Commissioner of Person with Disabilities, Delhi, to take strict and appropriate action as disabled voters were deprived of their voting rights. I also declare, I am a person with disability myself. I am copying the mail to disabled voters mentioned above.”said Dr Satendra Singh.

On International Day of the Persons with Disabilities and just a day before the Delhi Elections, same issues were raised by me in the Hindi daily ‘Hindustan’ where election officer made false promises.Today’s ‘The Hindu’ has also raised the issue along with ‘The Times of India’. It’s now upon Election Commission to respond and rectify these grave mistakes in future. What is more ironical is the plight of persons with psychosocial impairment who are just not considered eligible for voting.

Times of India 12 Aug 2013

AIIMS plans access to disabled, others silent

Shreya Roy Chowdhury, TNN | Aug 12, 2013, 01.40 AM IST

NEW DELHI: When it comes to access for disabled people, Indian hospitals have a long way to go. In April 2013, the Medical Council of India wrote to all the medical colleges in the country asking them to submit compliance reports stating the degree to which the institutions are accessible to the disabled. 

They received responses from only 32 of over 300 colleges and only from AIIMS in Delhi. Medical College and Hospital at Sangli is the only one to send photographs as proof of accessibility. Almost all others promise to do better with their new buildings. 

The council has sent the set of responses to Satendra Singh, professor of physiology at the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS), Delhi University, who had made a representation to the chief commissioner of PWD on the same issue. The letter from the MCI was prompted by this representation and he had also asked for "access audits" to be made a mandatory part of MCI's inspection before accreditation. 

The response from AIIMS said that the authorities are working on this issue."The engineering services department of AIIMS has already initiated action in this regard," said the report. An internal memo with the report shows that AIIMS had constituted a committee in April "to inspect the institute building with respect to access facilities of persons with disabilities... and thereafter shall give their specific recommendations." 

Several other institutions that have admitted to not being fully accessible say in their reports that they are getting there. "State PWD has agreed to provide toilets in the building for people using a wheelchair" at Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed College in Barpeta, Assam; "Government of Jharkhand, Ranchi is being requested to provide necessary budgetary provision to provide barrier-free access to persons of disability," said Patliputra Medical College, Dhanbad. Dr PDM Medical College in Amravati also said, "Procedure to fulfill requirements is being initiated." 

Most of the 32 colleges that have responded to the MCI claim to be accessible. But these claims ought to be verified, feels Singh. M S Ramaiah Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore said in its response, "We have an escalator in the college and the hospital which provides easy access to the building." 

Considering the only kind of disabled persons eligible for admission though reservation in medical colleges are "persons with lower limbs locomotive disabilities of 50% to 70%", escalators will act as barriers, added Singh. 

However, Medical College, Kolkata, doesn't think its disabled students "require any special access." Their response said, "There are about 21 physically disabled students studying MBBS Course in this college, at present, with 50%-70% having disability of lower limb. They are attending classes without any difficulty." 

Others on the list simply replied saying that there are no disabled students on their rolls. Many colleges said they are accessible to wheelchair users but don't have appropriate signage for the blind or hearing-impaired.

The hindu» NATIONAL » NEW DELHI        12 Aug 2013 Gaurav vivek bhatnagar

Most medical colleges ignore directive on facilities for disabled

Only 32 of the 355 medical colleges/institutions in India have submitted compliance reports on access facilities for persons with disabilities to the office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) despite a directive by the Medical Council of India.

Dr. Satendra Singh, coordinator of the Enabling Unit of the Equal Opportunity Cell at the University College of Medical Sciences here on whose petition the MCI had issued the directive, said CCPD forwarded copies of all the replies received from various institutions/colleges to him on June 13 and in these there was just one response from a medical college in Delhi.

The All India Institute of Medical Science here responded by directing the Engineering Services Department to constitute a committee of Assistant Engineers (Civil) who will conduct access audit and look into Dr. Singh’s suggestions and submit a report within 10 days. Though the parent institute showed resolve, none of the six new AIIMS-like institutions responded to MCI. Most top medical colleges and colleges in many State and Union Territories have not bothered to reply.

Dr. Singh said some of the responses showed utter disregard among the institutions towards creating a barrier-free environment and expressing a sensitive approach towards the disabled. The Principal of Medical College, Kolkata, said: “There are 21 students with disabilities and they do not require any special access for their disability.”

Critical of the approach, Dr. Singh said: “This assumption, without involving persons with disabilities, is the attitudinal barrier. Though, I appreciate the fact that their new auditorium has a special ramp but assuming that students with disabilities do not require special access is a bit harsh.”

He said a few institutes such as SGTMHS Gurgaon, PDMMC Amravati, SGRR Dehradun, MIMS Andhra Pradesh and SGRD Amritsar repeatedly maintained that there were no persons with disabilities in their medical college thereby permanently shutting their doors to wheelchair users.

“What if Stephen Hawking or Dr. S. H. Advani (the wheelchair user oncologist who pioneered bone marrow treatment for leukaemia in India) want to give lectures at these institutes?” he asked.

Similarly, he said the Dean of Medical College, Vadodara, slammed the door shut on visually-impaired persons by stating, “We don’t have Braille symbols as we don’t receive candidates with visual disability”.

The responses, he said, also carried some positives. Some medical colleges like GMERS Vadodara and JNMC Wardha said adaptation toilets for wheelchair users were available. CMCH Pathankot even mentioned that they have such toilets “at every floor of the building” while the Dean of PCMS Bhopal wrote that the institute was “fully accessible and there are no architectural barriers”.

The good news, he said, was actually coming from the lesser known medical institutions which not only admitted their mistakes but also showed a will to rectify them.

'Inclusion of disabled people should be made non-negotiable'

Prasanna Kumar Pincha, Central government's Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities says hospitals have to be barrier-free for the disabled.

But the concept is relatively new and it might take some time for the idea to sink in with the people who are in charge. Visually challenged since birth, Pincha is the first person with a disability to hold this post. Excerpts from an interview with Shiv Sunny:

Full interview at Deccan Herald's webpage here:
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/340498/039inclusion-disabled-people-should-made.html

Every step is a struggle

Shiv Sunny, Jun 22, 2013, Deccan Herald  

Right from architectural barriers in hospital buildings to inaccessible medical equipment, from insensitive doctors to negligent authorities, access to healthcare facilities for the huge invisible population of disabled people in the capital is abysmally difficult.

Low-rise urinals with grab bars. Doors with lever-action locks. Bright colour-bands on edges of stairs. Ramps with the right slope. This is part of the wish list for making access in hospitals easy for people with disabilities.

But are these things really necessary, and is it even practically and financially possible to provide them in hospitals?

“As per Article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, India is obligated to provide architecturally accessible buildings for the disabled. India should not have signed it if it was not possible,” says Agarwal, a wheelchair user herself.

According to the 2001 Census, 2.1 per cent of Indians are facing some kind of disability. And right from architectural barriers in hospital buildings to inaccessible medical equipment, from insensitive doctors to negligent authorities, access to healthcare facilities for this huge invisible population in the capital is abysmally difficult. 

“It is a myth that design in hospitals costs a lot of money. If planning and strategising is done at the blueprint stage of a construction, the extra cost is 0.1 per cent. Even if modifications are done after construction, the expenditure goes up by just two per cent,” says Agarwal, adding that the suggested incorporations can be made at least in phases. “But over the last six-seven years, despite us providing the access audits, they have done nothing.” 

Agarwal says the government washes off its hands by just providing ramps at the entrance of hospitals and some other areas of the hospital. 

“One of my colleagues was at Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital a few years ago to conduct an access audit. Even while he was being wheeled inside, his wheelchair tilted and he fell. In the name of ramps, rocket launchers are provided at the hospital,” she says.

An accessible hospital is not just about entering the building. Disabled persons should also be able to exit it with their dignity intact, with the hospital caring about their safety and convenience.

Agarwal says the architectural changes are also necessary because they will benefit the whole population one day or the other. “Everyone is going to age. Everyone is going to be disabled someday,” she says.

While the lack of empathy comes as no surprise in government hospitals, the private hospitals, despite being marginally better, too fall short. 

Dr Satendra Singh, coordinator of the enabling unit at University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS), says a leading private hospital in the city he visited recently appeared to be totally accessible till he went to its ICU lobby and auditorium, which had just stairs and no ramps. 

“I lodged a complaint and the hospital authorities were quick to look into the matter and conduct an access audit there. But such a response is unthinkable from a government hospital,” says Singh, who suffers from a disability.

In fact, not just the multi-speciality hospitals, even basic facilities like pathology labs are inaccessible. 

“Have you ever seen a pathology lab with ramps? Most of them are located in the basement or on an elevated platform. In either case, there are only stairs available,” says Agarwal. This discourages the disabled from approaching such centres – and they shell out extra money to have the tests done at home and the reports delivered.

The medical equipment is not designed keeping the disabled in mind either. No hospital in Delhi, whether public or private, has a mammography machine which can examine a patient sitting on a wheelchair.

“I called a super-speciality hospital in the city and asked them if their mammography machine is designed for women using wheelchairs. They replied in the negative and said that their staff would lift me and get me examined,” says Abha Khetarpal, founder of Cross the Hurdles, an NGO working for the disabled.

“It is embarrassing for us. We have our dignity,” she adds.

Even machines as basic as a weighing machine are not designed for the disabled. 

“Barring the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, no other hospital in Delhi has a weighing machine that can be used by a person on wheelchair. This means a disabled person can never check their weight,” says Agarwal. 

Even the dentist's chairs are not designed to suit people with disabilities, she says. Khetarpal says it takes very little effort to install hydraulic chairs which can be adjusted. 

“A little bit of empathy could make life so much easier for us and make us feel normal.” 
Further highlighting the attitudinal barriers, she says doctors in the city do not even recommend the papanicolaou test for cervical cancer for women with disabilities. “Disabled females are seen as asexual creatures.”

Even education institutes are not barrier-free for the disabled. Dr Satendra Singh says inaccessible libraries, lecture halls and hospital campuses dissuade people with disabilities from taking admission in medical colleges despite the three per cent reservations for them. 

Singh was relentless in his pursuit for accessible facilities for the disabled in medical institutions and hospitals. He advocated this to the Central government's Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. 

The chief commissioner in turn sent reminders to the Medical Council of India (MCI) which dashed off letters to all medical colleges to submit compliance reports on this.

“It came as little success because though the MCI found the issue important, it did not make it mandatory for the institutes to provide accessible facilities for the disabled. Unless it is made compulsory, we are not going to see much change,” says Singh. 

Since the government provides financial assistance under Scheme for Implementation of Persons with Disabilities Act, there should be no excuse for government medical colleges not to make their campus barrier-free, he adds.

Despite the scheme offering up to Rs 50,000 to every institute for accessible buildings and up to Rs 15 lakh for making their websites accessible for the visually challenged and the hearing-impaired, not too many medical institutes have applied for it for over a year. 

“This has also happened because people with disabilities themselves have not raised their voice and do not know about the prevailing schemes which they can benefit from,” says Singh.

The absence of many people with disabilities in access audit teams too is hampering the creation of an accessible environment. Agarwal says only a person with disability will know what is lacking in hospital buildings. Nothing less than proper representation on them of the disabled people will help improve the situation.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/340499/every-step-struggle.html

Disabled medicos face hurdles

Shiv Sunny, New Delhi, June 10, 2013, DECCAN HERALD NEWS SERVICE:

Infra facilities not available at medical colleges

“Is any medical institution in the country capable of inviting the famous theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking to deliver a lecture,” asks Dr Satendra Singh, coordinator of enabling unit of UCMS.

This one question highlights the condition of medical institutions and hospitals when it comes to providing barrier-free access to the disabled.

Singh says physical barriers such as inaccessible libraries, lecture halls and hospital campus dissuade people with disabilities from taking admission in colleges despite reservations for them.

He had petitioned the office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) to provide accessible environment to the disabled in medical institutions. The CCPD had to forward it twice to the Medical Council of India before it asked the colleges to submit a compliance report in this regard.

But Singh wants the MCI to make it mandatory for colleges to provide accessible institutions. “The action taken by them is mere eyewash,” says Singh. But it has done enough to encourage him to continue petitioning the authorities to make it mandatory.

Those fighting alongside Singh, or for this cause, say their suggestions are often shelved for long and when they are implemented, there is much lacking.

“We conducted accessibility audits for all Delhi University colleges in 2007-08. We had given our reports and suggestions with drawings and illustrations to make campuses disabled-friendly. But the managements neither take a look at the audits nor do they consider them,” says Anjlee Agarwal, executive director of NGO Samarthyam.

The NGO evaluates, develops, and promotes accessible and universal design in buildings and outdoor environments.

“Just having a ramp, but no access to toilets or libraries, will still continue to dissuade people from taking admissions. Every service that others have access to must be made available for the disabled,” adds Anjlee.

Few little successes keep Singh petitioning still. His efforts have seen the installation of two disabled-friendly ATMs in Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital. Differently-abled students at UCMS now get a leniency time of 15 minutes to reach.

Source: Deccan Herald, Delhi, 11 June 2013, page 4.

Scribe Guidelines from CCPD

F.No. 16-110/2003-DD.III

Government of India

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

Department of Disability Affairs

***

Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi

Dated:  26^th February, 2013

To

Principal Secretary/ Secretary, Social Welfare of States/UTs.

Subject:       Guidelines for conducting written examination for Persons with Disabilities.

Sir,

          I am directed to say that Chief Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) in its order dated 23.11.2012 in case No. 3929/2007 ( in the matter of Shri Gopal Sisodia, Indian Association of the Blind Vs. State Bank of India & Others) and in case No.65/1041/12-13 ( in the matter of Score Foundation Vs. Department of Disability Affairs) had directed this Ministry to  circulate guidelines for the purpose of conducting written examination for persons with disabilities for compliance by all concerned. In compliance of the above order, this Ministry hereby lays down the following uniform and comprehensive guidelines for conducting examination for the persons with disabilities as recommended by CCPD:-

           i.      There should be a uniform and comprehensive policy across the country for persons with disabilities for written examination taking into account improvement in technology and new avenues opened to the persons with disabilities providing a level playing field.  Policy should also have flexibility to accommodate the specific needs on case-to-case basis.

       ii.        There is no need for fixing separate criteria for regular and competitive examinations.

      iii.        The facility of Scribe/Reader/Lab Assistant should be allowed to any person who has disability of 40% or more if so desired by the person.

      iv.        The candidate should have the discretion of opting for his own scribe/reader/lab assistant or request the Examination Body for the same.  The examining body may also identify the scribe/ reader/lab assistant to make panels at the District/Division/ State level as per the requirements of the examination.  In such instances the candidates should be allowed to meet the scribe a day before the examination so that the candidates get a chance to check and verify whether the scribe is suitable or not.

        v.        Criteria like educational qualification, marks scored, age or other such restrictions for the scribe/reader/lab assistant should not be fixed.  Instead, the invigilation system should be strengthened, so that the candidates using scribe/reader/lab assistant do not indulge in mal-practices like copying and cheating during the examination.

      vi.        There should also be flexibility in accommodating any change in scribe/reader/lab assistant in case of emergency.  The candidates should also be allowed to take more than one scribe/reader for writing different papers especially for languages.

     vii.        Persons with disabilities should be given the option of choosing the mode for taking the examinations i.e. in Braille or in the computer or in large print or even by recording the answers as the examining bodies can easily make use of technology to convert question paper in large prints, e-text, or Braille and can also convert Braille text in English or regional languages.

   viii.        The candidates should be allowed to check the computer system one day in advance so that the problems, if any in the software/system could be rectified.

      ix.        The procedure of availing the facility of scribe should be simplified and the necessary details should be recorded at the time of filling up of the forms.  Thereafter, the examining body should ensure availability of question papers in the format opted by the candidate as well as suitable seating arrangement for giving examination.

        x.        The disability certificate issued by the competent medical authority at any place should be accepted across the country.

      xi.        The word “extra time or additional time” that is being currently used should be changed to “compensatory time” and the same should not be less than 20 minutes per hour of examination for persons who are making use of scribe/reader/lab assistant.  All the candidates with disability not availing the facility of scribe may be allowed additional time of minimum of one hour for examination of 3 hours duration which could further be increased on case to case basis.

     xii.        The candidates should be allowed to use assistive devices like talking calculator (in cases where calculators are allowed for giving exams), tailor frame, Braille slate, abacus, geometry kit, Braille measuring tape and augmentative communication devices like communication chart and electronic devices.

   xiii.        Proper seating arrangement (preferably on the ground floor) should be made prior to the commencement of examination to avoid confusion or distraction during the day of the exam.  The time of giving the question papers should be marked accurately and timely supply of supplementary papers should be ensured.

    xiv.        The examining body should also provide reading material in Braille or E-Text or on computers having suitable screen reading softwares for open book examination.  Similarly online examination should be in accessible format i.e. websites, question papers and all other study material should be accessible as per the international standards laid down in this regard.

     xv.        Alternative objective questions in lieu of descriptive questions should be provided for Hearing-Impaired persons, in addition to the existing policy of giving alternative questions in lieu of questions requiring visual inputs, for persons with Visual Impairment.

2.       You are requested to ensure that the above guidelines are scrupulously followed while conducting examination for persons with disabilities.  All the recruitment agencies, Academics/Examination Bodies etc. under your administrative control may be advised appropriately to ensure compliance of implementing these guidelines.  Action taken in this regard may be intimated to this office.

3.       The above guidelines are issued with the approval of Hon’ble Minister (Social Justice & Empowerment). 

Yours faithfully,

(Jagdish Kumar)

Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of India

Copy to: CCPD, Sarojini Bhawan, Bhagwan Dass Road, New Delhi with reference to order dated 23.11.2012 in case No. 3929/2007 and in case No.65/1041/12-13.