In a landmark move for inclusive education, Lucknow's Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University (DSMNRU) inaugurated a first-of-its-kind braille library on Sunday. The inauguration coincided with the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, the French educator who invented the tactile reading and writing system for the visually impaired.
A Monumental Step for Inclusive Higher Education
The newly opened facility is not just a library but a dedicated resource centre. It houses an impressive collection of over 4000 academic braille books. These books cater specifically to 54 higher education courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, all aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP).
Inaugurating the library, DSMNRU Vice-Chancellor Prof Sanjay Singh highlighted its transformative potential. "This is the first braille library in the state and it will benefit visually impaired students at large," he stated. He emphasised that with direct access to unlimited braille books, students would no longer be solely dependent on audio books to complete their syllabus, offering them a more autonomous learning experience.
Infrastructure and Accessibility
The university has dedicated significant space to this initiative. The entire first floor of the central library has been transformed into the braille section. It features a spacious reading room with a seating capacity for more than 150 students.
Prof Singh stressed that the library's benefits extend beyond the university's own students. "The library is not just for visually impaired students of DSMNRU but it's open for all visually impaired students who need braille books of higher education level," he clarified, marking it as a state-wide resource.
Empowerment Through Self-Reliance and Technology
The Vice-Chancellor motivated the visually impaired community to strive for capability and self-reliance. He reiterated that Braille script remains the primary means of reading, writing, and education for them, acting as a crucial bridge to mainstream society.
Looking forward, he instructed the university administration to provide computer training to visually impaired individuals, combining traditional literacy with digital skills. A key feature of this project is that all the braille books have been published by the university's own braille press, ensuring control over quality and relevance.
Library In-charge Prof Yashwant Viroday shared ambitious plans for expansion. The library aims to significantly increase its collection, targeting 10,000 braille books by the end of this year.
This pioneering establishment at DSMNRU stands as a beacon of inclusive education, providing tangible resources to empower visually impaired students in Uttar Pradesh to pursue higher studies with greater independence and dignity.
