Eyeing inclusion, KMC rolls out prog to empower visually impaired students
Titled 'Project Samaavesh – Towards Inclusion and Empowerment', this new initiative is more than just support—it's a lifeline.
"Inclusion is not a favour," says KMC principal Dinesh Khattar, adding, "It is a right.
There may be limits on sight, but there are no limits on vision."
For students long grappling with isolation, limited resources, and the absence of systemic support, Samaavesh offers tailored guidance, skills training, and, most importantly, a sense of belonging.
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The project is a joint effort by the Centre for Disability Research and Training (CDRT) at KMC and the Score Foundation, aimed at promoting inclusion through a dedicated on-campus help desk for visually impaired students.
The plan begins with assessing students based on their individual needs and aspirations, and then building customised support systems that will help them thrive. Awareness campaigns and sensitisation programmes are integral, targeting students, faculty, and staff to foster empathy and challenge biases.
However, the challenges are far from over. In many colleges, enabling units lie dormant. Access to Braille and tactile books remains limited, assistive technologies are often unaffordable, and peer or faculty sensitisation is rare.
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As Ankita Verma from Miranda House puts it, "Technology is important, but our basic needs are still unmet."
Project Samaavesh addresses these gaps directly—with personalised student support plans, and training in computer literacy, STEM, AI, and assistive tools. For Someshwar Sati, CDRT coordinator, the issue runs deeper: "If I give the audience a book in Braille and they can't read it, are they disabled? Why can't we embrace different ways of being as part of human diversity?"
At its core, Samaavesh is not just about resources, but about changing perspectives.
Through workshops, campaigns, and counselling, the project aims to shift the way society views disability. As Sati puts it, "Nazariya badal denge toh nazar bhi badal jaayegi"—if we change the lens, our view will change too.
For Sachin Kumar, a KMC political science graduate now pursuing a master's at JNU, the project was transformative. "When I joined CDRT, we focused on creating initiatives for inclusion," he says.
"We worked to spread awareness and make an impact. Society still doesn't recognise the full potential of the disabled community. These programmes help bridge that gap."
For Narendra Kumar Kashyap, a third-year Sanskrit student from Amethi, the struggle is personal. "Reading content is the biggest challenge. Interacting with peers is also difficult," he shares. But since joining the inclusive education programme, his sense of isolation has begun to ease. "The gap is bridging," he says, hopeful about his dream of becoming a teacher one day.
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