Ashoka University Unveils Report On Barriers To Inclusive Higher Education At Second Annual Conclave

Ashoka University, India’s premier interdisciplinary higher education and research institution has concluded its second edition of “Building Foundations for Inclusive Higher Education” conclave at the India Habitat Center (IHC). The event brought together experts from leading universities, institutions, and NGOs from across India to advance conversations on creating more inclusive higher education systems for students with disabilities. Organised by Ashoka University’s Office of Learning Support (OLS), the event was built on the discussions held from last year’s inaugural conclave to explore critical areas that need attention to ensure equal access to education for all.   

A report titled "Access to Higher Education; An Unresolved Challenge for Students with Disabilities," was unveiled by Reena Gupta, Director of the Office of Learning Support (OLS) at Ashoka University and Neha Trivedi, Founder of Spandan. The report examines the barriers students with disabilities face and offers detailed recommendations to Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) on how to address these issues.   

The event saw participation from over 100 key stakeholders in government, academia and industry, including Rina Sonowal Kouli, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education; Pankaj Mittal, Secretary, Association of Indian University;  Jagdish Arora, Advisor, National Board of Accreditation; R.K. Chadha, Ex-Additional Secretary at Parliament of India, Lok Sabha; Ipsita Mitra, Deputy Secretary, Policy, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities & Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment; Neha Trivedi, Founder of Spandan: Inclusion and Accessibility Consultancy Services; Homiyar Mobedji, Disability Expert, Programme Management - Asia & Africa, Benetech and Piyush Chanana, Head, National Centre for Assistive Health Technologies (NCAHT) at IIT Delhi amongst others.     

This year’s conclave builds on the foundations laid by the inaugural event in 2023 which featured conversations and a white paper on the “Future of Disability Inclusion in Higher Education.”

The Conclave featured four dedicated Idea Labs that explored critical themes, including building support structures and reasonable accommodation frameworks at HEIs, strengthening accessible library systems and educational content accessibility, facilitating access to assistive technology for students in higher education and empowering faculty as agents of inclusive teaching. These sessions provided a comprehensive view of the challenges, addressing everything from policy frameworks to institutional support systems.