Vadodara: Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) is setting up a disability resource centre to provide academic, mental health and medical support under one roof to students, faculty members and other university employees with disabilities, in what could be the first such initiative at a state university in Gujarat.The centre, housed in four rooms on the ground floor of the WSRC Building at the faculty of family and community sciences, will bridge the gap between persons with disabilities and their respective departments, helping them overcome barriers to education and access campus facilities.Going beyond a conventional disability cell, the centre aims to provide individualised assistance based on specific needs. Students facing difficulties accessing classrooms could receive help from special educators, while those requiring counselling could be connected with psychologists through the university’s health centre. MSU is also working on alternative examination arrangements, including scribes for students who need them.“We want to provide holistic support,” said Mahesh Shelke, assistant professor in the department of extension and communication and one of the faculty coordinators for the initiative.The university has registered 32 students with disabilities in the 2026-27 academic year, compared to 62 in 2025-26. It is collecting details of other students with disabilities to assess their requirements. The facility will also cover teaching and non-teaching staff with disabilities.MSU registrar K M Chudasama said the idea was conceived around six months ago during the admission season, when the university realised that applicants with disabilities needed dedicated assistance.“We realised that there should be separate arrangements, either in the form of a booth or a help desk, for specially abled aspirants. Later, we decided that instead of limiting it to aspirants, we could have such a dedicated facility for our existing students and staff,” he said.The university is developing the infrastructure and support mechanisms for the centre. It also plans to organise activities through the facility, with details to be worked out as it evolves.The initiative seeks to bring academic assistance, health-related support and examination accommodations together, enabling persons with disabilities to participate in mainstream university activities without being held back by physical or educational barriers.
