IGNOU SIGNS OFF COURSE FOR HEARING-IMPAIRED

03.07.2013

Ignou’s dual talk leaves students in the lurch

Nobody would have thought that in less than two years of setting up of the first Indian Sign Language Research & Training Centre (ISLRTC) for the hearing-impaired, plans would be afoot to shut it down. But that is what seems to be happening at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) campus here.

Vice-Chancellor M. Aslam categorically told The Hindu that there was no point in continuing with the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Sign Language Studies (BAASLS) programme.

The decision has left the students angry and confused about their future. They shared their grievances with The Hindu in sign language through an interpreter.

Dashrath Jadeja, a second-year student and students’ representative, said, “The BAASLS course is the only one in the country. It is offered bilingually and caters to 70 of us here. There are [an estimated] two million hearing-impaired students in the country. What will the centre tell them after shutting down the course?”

“Fresh admissions have not been happening for the past two years. (BAASLS was started in 2009). This triggered rumours about the continuation of the course. In May, I went to meet the VC with my mother and he assured her that we would get our degrees. But that is not happening,” said Sheena Kaul, a final-year student.

When the hearing-impaired students enrolled for the programme, they were told they would receive a dual degree from Ignou and its partner in the United Kingdom, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). However, Ignou has now backtracked saying the students would have to be content with only an UCLan degree.

Recently, after the students agitated in front of government ministries and the VC’s office, the VC said he would provide them with a certificate of participation. “But it is unfair and unacceptable,” say the students.

“Why should we sacrifice our Indian B.A. degree? I am applying to a college in Bombay and they insist on a degree from a UGC recognised institution,” said Bablu Kumar in his final year.

 Course details have been wrongly advertised: VC

 Students will get only an UCLan degree, says Ignou

The only institute in the country offering a B.A. degree in sign language faces closure

Thanks to The Hindu.