NTPC Foundation sets up ICT Centre for disabled students at Gauhati University

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The centre, which was inaugurated by Assam Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi yesterday, is aimed at encouraging students with disability to pursue higher education in the field of science and technology.

 

"It is a memorable day as this centre shall help differently abled students to pursue higher education in science and technology," Bordoloi said.

 

He said the ICT centre would serve physically challenged students of society by helping them in capacity building by offering vocational courses through latest software and equipment.

"We have approximately 21 million differently abled population in our country, they need to be trained and groomed," he said, urging corporates to come forward to contribute to this cause.

 

An NTPC press release said the centre would have computers with several assisted devices and software to enable visually challenged students to use computers.

 

At present, a course on computer literacy and a foundation course in science and technology have been introduced and about 20 students have already enrolled for the course.

 

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Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor O K Medhi said, "There is no scope for higher education for people with disabilities and their education is confined till school level only. So, we wanted to provide them scope to pursue science and technology. Right now, we have introduced two courses. But in the coming years, we plan to diversify our courses and a Ph.D. in science for disabled students is also on the anvil. As of now, we are taking one step at a time."

 

Kishore Mohan Bhattacharyya, the Head of the Department of Disability Studies, said, "The NTPC has indeed done a great job and we hope that the students would be able to have proper exposure to science and technology."

 

Chitrani Medhi, course co-ordinator of NTPC foundation, said, "One of the most challenging work for the disabled is to learn how to use computers, science and technology. So, this centre would help them in learning new technology."

 

S.P Singh, Director (HR) NTPC, said that NTPC had been in the forefront for fulfilling its social responsibilities, besides carrying out various community development initiatives around the NTPC Projects & Stations.

 

NNN

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