Pondicherry University: Leading the people with disability to a better world.

HEPSN, Pondicherry University

HEPSN (Higher Education For People with Special Needs), is a cell instituted by Pondicherry University which works for the equity of access to higher education and opportunities for person with various types of disabilities in university. In pursuance of the mission, the enabling cell is established to consolidate and co-ordinate the renowned legacy of the disabled friendly institution. It is an inclusive institution with accessible infrastructure and equity in higher education for persons’ with disabilities. It aims to mainstream the requirements of disabled persons by providing barrier free access to buildings, equipments, and other resources of the university. It makes efforts to extend facilities to disabled persons to avail the benefits of different streams of higher education. The cell also aims to engender public sensitization about the challenges, issues, capabilities and rights of person with disabilities.

In the year 2011, Pondicherry University was selected as the Best Training Institution in recognition of its contribution to the empowerment of persons with disabilities. The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India selected the university as one among the National Awardees for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. The university is the first such institution in India to receive such a recognition for its affirmative action on the empowerment of persons with disabilities. Pondicherry University has introduced a number of innovative steps for disabled students which includes Free education as well as and boarding and lodging at the University hostels, disabled friendly campus infrastructure. A special section has been started at the University Library with the state-of-the-art facilities of hardware and software to enable the visually challenged students and faculty to carry out the routine reference works. The University has also constructed a separate library for the visually-challenged students and faculty for the first time in the country.