“(Persons with disabilities) too are equal citizens of the country and have as much share in its resources as any other citizen. The denial of their rights would not only be unjust and unfair to them and their families but would create larger and graver problems for the society at large. What law permits them is no charity or largesse but their right as equal citizens of this country...”

-----(The Supreme Court in the case of Bhagwan Dass and Another vs. Punjab State Electricity Board 2008 AIR SCW 534.)

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 guarantees that all persons with disabilities (PwDs) have rights to access education at all levels. Therefore, protection of educational rights of students with disabilities and promoting inclusive education become mandatory for all institutes of higher education in the Country. Equity of access to higher education calls for concerted and reasonable efforts to provide equal opportunities to all students with disabilities in the College Education System. In pursuance of this objective, Prabhat Kumar College, Contai, has established an ‘EQUAL OPPORTUNITY CELL FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (EOC-PwDs)’ to consolidate and co-ordinate the legacy of this College towards inclusion and disabled friendly educational environment.

The ‘Equal Opportunity Cell for Persons with Disabilities’ functions in a unique manner in order to fulfill its sheer commitment towards ensuring a right based, democratic, nondiscriminatory inclusive and enabling academic environment to provide every student with disabilities equal opportunities in accessing education and other provisions connected herewith. The College ensures that every staff and student with disabilities (SwDs) enjoys equal rights in the process of teaching and learning inside the campus.

Structure of the EOC-PwDs

Prabhat Kumar College, Contai, has constituted the ‘Equal Opportunity Cell for Persons with Disabilities’ in compliance to the UGC Regulations, 2012 (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions and Grievance Redressal) and to the directions of RPwD Act, 2016 with the following members to look after the matters and issues of students with disabilities of the College.

Vision Statement of the EOC-PwDs

The ‘Equal Opportunity Cell for Persons with Disabilities’ will always strive to promote full inclusion and participation of students with disabilities in education system of the College and thereby it aims to develop an inclusive and responsible society in which every individual with disabilities would thrive and participate fully and become personally independent, educationally bright, socially competent and vocationally skilled, responsible decision-makers, problem solvers and self-advocates in making their own destiny and above all a contributing citizen of the Country at large.

Objectives of the EOC-PwDs

The ‘Equal Opportunity Cell for Persons with Disabilities’ has been set up with an absolute commitment to serve the following objectives-

1. To promote inclusion and equity in higher education for students with disabilities.
2. To provide financial assistance to meritorious and needy students with disabilities.
3. To implement legislative provisions and policies for students with disabilities.
4. To provide comprehensive services and support systems for students with disabilities.
5. To ensure non-discriminatory learning environment for all students with disabilities.
6. To provide accessible reading material for students with disabilities as per their needs.
7. To provide special support to students with disabilities during examinations and admission process.
8. To sensitize teaching and non-teaching staff and students without disabilities about disability and inclusion.
9. To create a barrier free, accessible, welcoming and enabling learning environment in the College for all students with disabilities.
10. To build up a sound network and collaboration among students with disabilities, parents of students with disabilities and College to inspire, motivate and enable students with disabilities to pursue higher education.
11. To address issues of inequalities and discrimination practiced against students with disabilities with special attention on girl-students with disabilities.
12. To make special provisions of remedial teaching, career related guidance and counseling for students with disabilities.

Functions of the EOC-PwDs

The College has set up the EOC-PwDs to aid and advise the students with disabilities pursuing various programs of studies at the College. The terms of reference wherein the EOC-PwDs at the College may undertake activities are inter alia as under:

1. Establishing coordination with government and non-government or and other funding agencies with an objective to provide financial support and other resources required for inclusion and educational empowerment of the students with disabilities.
2. Undertaking suitable programs/plans, including remedial classes, assistive technology and services for ensuring participation and improving performance of students with disabilities.
3. Providing information about existing provisions and act as a counseling-cum-guidance centre for students with disabilities, especially with regard to academic, career and other matters.
4. Taking initiatives to develop a socially conducive, accessible and inclusive atmosphere for the development of healthy interpersonal relations among students with disabilities, academic and non-academic staff for academic interaction and extracurricular activities.
5. Supporting the students with disabilities to overcome challenges and barriers originating from inequalities and discrimination at the College within its mandate.
6. Taking necessary initiatives to make the infrastructures of the College barrier free or disabled-friendly.
7. Organizing or conducting seminars/ workshops/ conferences/exhibitions/special lectures/debates and alike, from time-to-time, on various contemporary and significant disability related subjects for dissemination of knowledge and sensitization of the faculty members of the College about disability and allied aspects. 
8. Taking initiative to upgrade the Central Library of the College with modern devices and assistive technologies for enabling the students with disabilities to access information like their counterparts.
9. Extending support to the students with disabilities to avail scholarships and stipends or financial assistance from governments and other agencies to support their education and other needs.
10. Taking appropriate initiatives to ensure that the students with disabilities do have access to various provisions and facilities such as- (i) 5% reservation of seats in all subjects at all levels; (ii) reduction of 5% marks from minimum eligibility criteria; (iii) age relaxation of minimum 5 years for admission; (iv) 30 minutes of extra time in the examinations; (v) Scribe to those who are incapable of writing examinations due to disability; (vi) full or partial exemption from the payment of admission and examination fees in special cases; (vii) boarding and lodging at the College Hostels for both  male and female students with disabilities.