Sarkari Yojana
Persons With Disabilities Scheme In Colleges: Higher Education For Persons With Special Needs
About Persons With Disabilities Scheme In Colleges: Higher Education For Persons With Special Needs
The Higher Education for Persons with Special Needs (HEPSN) scheme works to build an environment in higher education institutions that enriches the learning experience of differently-abled students. Broadly, it offers support for creating awareness about the abilities of differently-abled persons, construction work that improves campus accessibility, and the purchase of equipment that enhances learning. > Specific Objectives of HEPSN
HEPSN pursues the following specific objectives:
1. Offering differently-abled persons equal educational opportunities within higher education institutions. 1. Building awareness among higher-education functionaries about the particular educational needs of differently-abled persons. 1. Equipping higher education institutions with facilities that improve access for differently-abled persons. 1. Supplying higher education institutions with special devices that enhance the learning experience of differently-abled persons. 1. Tracking how existing and future legislation and policy on higher education for differently-abled persons is being implemented.
Scheme Overview
Central Government
Ministry Of Social Justice and Empowerment
Individual
Scheme Details
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for Persons With Disabilities Scheme In Colleges: Higher Education For Persons With Special Needs, applicants must satisfy the following conditions:
1
1. Colleges seeking a grant under any component of the scheme must have differently-abled students — including those with visual impairment, hearing impairment, or locomotor disability — enrolled across their various courses, with disability defined per the Persons with Disabilities Act 1995. 1. The institution must be approved by the UGC under Sections 2(f) and 12 B. 1. The college must have set up an expert committee that includes faculty members, subject experts, and differently-abled persons themselves, meeting at least once a year to review the scheme's related activities.
Benefits Provided
Persons With Disabilities Scheme In Colleges: Higher Education For Persons With Special Needs provides the following benefits to eligible applicants:
Provision of Facilities and Financial assistance The HEPSN scheme is built around three components, described below: Component 1: Establishment of Enabling Units for differently-abled Persons To build awareness across the higher education system and provide differently-abled persons with the guidance and counselling they need, the scheme proposes setting up resource units in colleges nationwide, called Enabling Units. These units are expected to:
Facilitate the admission of differently-abled persons into various…
Facilitate the admission of differently-abled persons into various courses;
Offer guidance and counselling to differently-abled individuals;
Offer guidance and counselling to differently-abled individuals;
Raise awareness of the needs of differently-abled persons…
Raise awareness of the needs of differently-abled persons and other general concerns affecting their learning; and
Help differently-abled graduates find employment in both public…
Help differently-abled graduates find employment in both public and private sectors. A faculty member nominated by the institution's head coordinates the unit, working as an honorary coordinator for a token honorarium of Rs. 4000/- per month. The unit also gets a yearly budget of ₹ 50,000/per year for general administration, stationery, and contingencies, and to bring in experts and personnel for awareness programs, counselling sessions, and similar activities needed for it to function effectively and independently. Component 2: Providing Access to Differently-abled Persons
The UGC gives a one-time grant of up…
The UGC gives a one-time grant of up to ₹ 5,00,000 per college during the Plan period so colleges can tackle disability-related accessibility issues and adapt their environment for mobility and independent functioning.
Colleges must address accessibility issues in line with…
Colleges must address accessibility issues in line with the requirements of the Persons with Disabilities Act 1995.
Colleges must make sure both existing structures and…
Colleges must make sure both existing structures and future construction on campus are disabled-friendly.
Institutes should add facilities like ramps, rails, and…
Institutes should add facilities like ramps, rails, and special toilets, and make any other changes needed for differently-abled persons. Component 3: Providing Special Equipment to Augment Educational Services for Differently-abled Persons Differently-abled persons need special aids and appliances to manage daily activities, and various Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment schemes already supply these. Beyond such assistive devices, higher education institutions may also need special learning and assessment equipment to support differently-abled students, and visually challenged students specifically need Readers. Equipping institutes with tools such as computers running screen-reading software, low-vision aids, scanners, and mobility devices would considerably improve the educational experience for differently-abled persons. Colleges are therefore encouraged to acquire such devices and arrange Readers for visually challenged students. The UGC provides an ad hoc, one-time grant of up to ₹1,50,000 per college during the Twelfth Plan period
Documents Required
Applicants should keep the following documents ready before starting the application:
Aadhaar card
Aadhaar card.
Two passport-size photographs (signed across)
Two passport-size photographs (signed across).
Residential certificate
Residential certificate.
Disability certificate
Disability certificate.
Bank account details (bank name, branch name, address,…
Bank account details (bank name, branch name, address, IFSC, etc.).
Proof of the latest educational qualification (passing certificate…
Proof of the latest educational qualification (passing certificate or mark sheet).
Bona fide certificate from the school/college
Bona fide certificate from the school/college.
Any other document required by the college or…
Any other document required by the college or the District Social Welfare Office.
How to Apply
Offline Application
Applicants can apply for Persons With Disabilities Scheme In Colleges: Higher Education For Persons With Special Needs through the offline application process outlined below.
Application Portal: Open Application Portal ↗
Application Process
Applications for specific projects should be submitted in the prescribed Proforma For financial assistance under the scheme to assist for college to facilitate higher Education for Person (HEPSN) Scheme found on Page number 6, together with the College Development proposal.
Procedure for release of grant
Component 1.
The honorarium for the coordinator and other budgetary items, at Rs.50,000/- per year, are released for the first year once the proposal is approved. Later grants follow submission of an audited utilization certificate and expenditure statement.
Component 2.
The grant is released once detailed plans and estimates, prepared as per UGC building guidelines, are received.
Component 3.
90% of the allocated grant goes out as the first installment, with the remaining 10% reimbursed after the audited expenditure statement and utilization certificate are submitted.
Official Application & Website
Verify the latest eligibility, dates and instructions before applying.