By Shruti Pushkarna
Yesterday, August 23, 2023, India made history. We became the fourth country in the world to soft land on the moon and the first to touch down near the lunar south pole. Prime Minister Narendra Modi proudly broadcast India’s prowess in technology and science to the rest of the world. The ISRO Chairman and his entire team were ecstatic with the monumental accomplishment. And so was the average Indian citizen.
I was also glued to the television screen until the last few anxious seconds, and when the moment arrived, I leapt up involuntarily. Transforming into a cheering and cheerful compatriot.
Journalists, analysts, space experts, engineers, politicians, and scientists drummed up enthusiasm for the country’s scientific expertise and technological innovation. Looking at the nation’s progress into outer space, one can only imagine how many young adults must be aspiring to join this technological revolution.
More than 50 per cent of India’s population is below the age of 25. The success of this mission is bound to ignite a spark, encouraging students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics or popularly known as STEM.
Out of the 2.68 crore disabled Indians, 17% are in the age group of 10-19 years, and 16% are in the age group of 20-29 years (as per Census 2011).
It’s obvious that this young community too has ambitions and dreams. Fortunately, disability does not limit the imagination. Although limited imagination might prove disabling.
There’s no denying that technology has grown leaps and bounds in the past few years, and that it has leveled the playing field for marginalized communities. But there is also no denying that millions of people don’t have equal access to quality education.
Did you know that several students with vision impairment drop out of school after finishing Class 8? Did you know that most blind students are discouraged from taking up STEM subjects? Schools and colleges implicitly and sometimes even explicitly dissuade them from studying higher levels of science and maths.
Science is not just a subject but a means to comprehend and explain our surroundings. It encourages students to reason and think logically. But the inadequacies in teacher training, lack of assistive tools and technology and inaccessible study material, keeps STEM subjects out of reach for students with disabilities.
There’s also a lack of awareness among educational institutions, teachers, and the general public about the needs and potential of individuals with disabilities. This leads to discrimination and exclusion.
A 2013 report published by Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC) cites: “A combination of fear, doubt, lack of knowledge, lack of teacher training skills, and resources have held STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) education for blind and low-vision students the world over, and similarly in India, hostage. They have combined to give the false verdict, ‘It is not possible!’ These views, over time, have become institutionalized as part of education systems. This, in turn, has had significant impact on lives and career choices of blind and low-vision persons. When a trend or an experience becomes part of collective social consciousness for a long time, imaginations assume the power of truths, relegating fact to the realm of fiction. It is critical to the success of blind students that educators help dispel misconceptions among sighted students as to what blind people are capable of.”
Despite the absence of systemic will and adequate investment in infrastructure, technology and training, role models continue to motivate aspiring scholars to pursue these disciplines.
Dr Satendra Singh is a disability rights activist and a medical professional. He contracted poliomyelitis when he was nine months old but went on to complete a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and later on Doctor of Medicine in Physiology. He is an advocate for inclusive education and has worked to promote accessibility in medical education.
Kartik Sawhney is a disability advocate, entrepreneur and technologist who works to empower people with disabilities using technology, community, and support services. He is the first blind student to pursue science education in high school in India. A computer science graduate of Stanford University, Kartik co-founded Project StemAccess (now I-Stem) that provides technical training, mentorship and hands-on opportunities to blind math and science students across the country.
Dipendra Manocha is an advocate for people with print disabilities. He is the Founder and Managing Trustee of Saksham (NGO) and Director (Developing Countries) with Daisy Consortium, a network of over 100 global organisations registered in Zurich, Switzerland.
Blind since childhood, Manocha has used technology to build a communications and training infrastructure that enables the disabled to put their abilities to work alongside other citizens in mainstream society.
There are several organisations in India focused on providing STEM-skilling opportunities specifically tailored for persons with disabilities. The work of exemplary individuals and institutions is testament to possibilities of inclusive and accessible education and the impact on the lives of disabled students.
Agreed that teaching STEM subjects can present unique challenges for educators, but these gaps can be bridged with inclusive infrastructure, accessible learning material, assistive technologies, online learning platforms, Virtual Reality (VR ) technology, communication aids, et cetera.
More importantly, there is a need to address negative attitudes and societal stigmas for fostering a conducive education environment for all. While there are laws and policies in place, effective implementation at all levels, from government bodies to individual schools, is crucial. The process of ensuring quality education and opportunities for disabled youth requires focus, investment, and commitment from all stakeholders.
It’s true that landing on the moon and educating disabled youth involves different challenges, priorities, and complexities. But they are equally important goals for a developing nation with a rapidly growing economy.
Here’s hoping for a tomorrow where Indians will celebrate inclusion and equity with similar fervour!
Wondering why MxMIndia publishes a disability advocacy column? Well, we strongly feel that the media can dramatically transform the world of persons with disabilities. And this series can help bring forth issues that the media must champion to create a truly inclusive and accessible India. To write this column, we invited Shruti Pushkarna, a former journalist who is now a disability inclusion advocate based in New Delhi. Her views here are personal. To access the archives of her 75-plus columns, please visit: https://www.mxmindia.com/category/ columns/shruti-pushkarna/
If you have a view on the issues raise or would like to align with MxMIndia on this cause, write to us at editor [at] mxmindia.com.