Power minister Pradyut Bordoloi speaks during the ICT Training Centre inauguration at Gauhati University on Wednesday. Picture by UB Photos

Jan. 4: Industry and power minister Pradyut Bordoloi inaugurated the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Training Centre for disabled students at Gauhati University today.

The centre is a joint initiative of the charitable trust of National Thermal Power Corporation, NTPC Foundation, and Gauhati University and has information technology infrastructure for the students.

Describing it as a fine example of corporate social responsibility, Bordoloi said, “I am delighted to be a part of a project which caters to the special needs of students. This initiative shows the enthusiasm of both NTPC and the university. The disabled students of this region will benefit immensely from this project.”

This is for the first time that Gauhati University has collaborated with an industrial house to offer courses.

The 203rd birth anniversary of Braille inventor, Louis Braille, was also celebrated today along with inauguration of the centre.

Gauhati University department of disabilities head Kishore Bhattacharjee said the aim of the centre was to provide latest educational support to visually and hearing impaired students and make an attempt to break the barrier between the able and disabled persons. “Such a centre will be a big help to disabled persons,” he said.

The classes at the centre will begin from January 15.

Gauhati University vice-chancellor Okhil Kumar Medhi said, “In today’s world, access to information is a major problem for disabled people. They would be able to access the latest technology along with other students. It will assist the disabled students in terms of education and jobs.”

The university currently has over 850 physically challenged students.

The centre will offer both certificate and postgraduate diploma courses this year, and from 2012, a special BEd course and MA in disability studies will be added to the list.

The fees for these courses are nominal and equivalent to the other courses in the university.

After Delhi University, this is the second centre in the country opened by the foundation in collaboration with a university.

Currently the centre in Delhi University is conducting five short-term courses for disabled students.

However, unlike Delhi, the Gauhati University centre will be offering only two courses — computer literacy and foundation course in science literacy — to its students for three months each.

NTPC director (HR) S.P. Singh said, “This is only the beginning. We have been trying to fulfil our social responsibilities.”

According to the project coordinator of the ICT course, Chitrani Medhi, the NTPC Foundation had provided 10 computers to the centre. “For the software and hardware which will be used in the centre, they have coordinated with a Delhi-based organisation,” she said.

Apart from opening an ICT centre here, the foundation has also opened a Disability Rehabilitation Centre in the vicinity of NTPC station at Bongaigaon.