Bhanu P Lohumi

GOING by the dictum ‘Impairments don’t make people disable, but the lack of information does’, differently abled students of Himachal Pradesh University were imparted training in a workshop on the Right to Information (RTI) for the first time. Stress was laid on changing the rules to accept RTI applications in Braille and supply information to the visually impaired persons in Braille and CD format. As many as 35 students participated in the workshop, which was jointly organised by the Disabled Students’ Association (DSA) and Umang Foundation. It aimed at enabling these students use the RTI as a tool to solve their problems such as reservation in admission and hostels, accessibility, basic amenities, scholarship and non-implementation of disability laws.

More wait for new VC

Instead of short listing the eligible candidates, the screening committee decided to give advertisement for inviting applications to the post of Vice Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University, further delaying the process. Sources in the university said the number of application had crossed 25, with a number of junior professors applying for the post. Some junior professors having political influence are banking on their political bosses, while several senior ones, including some from outside the state, are also in the race. The search committee had two meetings so far, but nothing much has been done for clearing the appointment of the VC and it appears that it may remain hanging till the Assembly elections.

Good riddance to biometric system

After the exit of Prof ADN Bajpai, former Vice Chancellor, on May 24, the ambitious programme to have the biometric system for teachers and employees has been dumped into cold storage. The biometric system was aimed at ensuring that the employees reached the university on time and stayed on the campus. Teachers had maintained that the academic work could not be bound in time. The move was vehemently opposed both by the teaching and non-teaching staff. They can now heave a sigh of relief that they do not have to be punctual and stay in the university as per the UGC guidelines.

No to SCA direct election

Ignoring strong protests from student bodies, Himachal Pradesh University has not conceded to the demand for the restoration of direct election to the Students Central Association (SCA) in the university and affiliated colleges. The university had stopped direct election in 2015 and student unions were hopeful that the elections would be revived in the Assembly election year. But the university had its way and foisted the nominated SCA on HPU and 145 affiliated colleges.
Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/students-for-rti-applications-in-braille/468549.html