NID Ahmedabad reports rise in applications from people with disabilities

12.07.2018
India's premier design institute, the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad has reported a rise in the number of applications under Persons with Disability (PWD) category. This year, NID received a total of 114 applications as against 78 last year. While the institute has roped in BM Institute of Mental Health to scrutinize the applications, they are also in talks to identify discipline-wise disability, to encourage such students.

As per the data shared by Professor Bhaumik Nagar, admissions chairperson, there has been an increase in the number of applications in the undergraduate and post-graduate courses. The institute received 82 for Bachelors of Design this year, as against 54 last year. As many as 32 students have applied for the Masters programme; NID had received 24 applications for the same last year.

Last year, the institute admitted seven students, with visual impairment, locomotor, hearing disability and disability due to blood disorder, to the M.Des course. For the B.Des course, five students with specific learning disability were admitted.

Pradyumna Vyas, Director, NID said: "Our teaching is focused on hands-on training and not bookish learning which is why students with disabilities prefer to join NID. While BM Institute of Mental Health has been of great help, by scrutinizing applications, we are currently in talks with them to understand disability-wise disciplines. We want to encourage such students to apply at NID. For example, if we get 50 partially blind students applying for animation or graphic design course, they will face difficulties. This is where the tole of BM Institute of Mental Health comes in place."

Madhu Singh, Director, BM Institute of Mental Health, said: "NID approached us last year to scrutinize fake applications and genuine ones. The PwD Act was enacted in 1995 which included only 7-8 kinds of disabilities whereas the same was revised in 2016 and 21 types of disabilities were included. Wherever we have doubt, we inform the institute to avail further documents of the applicants and then proceed with admissions. This year, maximum applicants suffered from learning disorder."