SPECIAL SCHOOLS
SPECIAL SCHOOLS – This is a programme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Children with severe multiple disabilities who have difficulty in coping with regular schools are referred to such special schools. Most of these special schools are located in urban areas and run by voluntary organizations. A majority of them are residential schools, and boarding- lodging and other services are provided free of cost. At present more than 3000 special schools for the disabled children are functioning across the country. Out of them approximately 900 institutions are specialized for the hearing impaired, 400 for the visually impaired, 1000 for the mentally retarded and the remaining 700 are for the children with physical disabilities. 40 per cent disability of any such particular types is a benchmark for identification and certification for admission in these special schools.
NATIONAL OPEN SCHOOL (NOS )- The NOS was established as an Autonomous Registered Society in 1989 with the mission to provide education through an open learning system at the school stage as an alternative to the formal system. It is specially suited to the needs of certain categories such as school dropouts, girls, mentally or physically disabled, etc. It has also developed educational materials for teaching children with special needs in their own homes. At present there are 1459 NOS study centres in the country. It offers courses like the foundation course, notionally equivalent to class VIII level, secondary education and higher secondary courses and vocational courses. The NOS also provides the programme of Open Basic Education for Universal Elementary Education (UEE), which includes programme for the disabled children.
It offers Open Basic Education courses through the following:
a) Open Basic Education (OBE): This project is for out of school children in the age group 6-14 and also for adult learners. It has 3 levels : Preparatory, i.e. (A), Primary i.e.(B) and elementary i.e. (C), which are equivalent to a formal school standard of class III,V and VIII respectively.
b) Special Accredited Institutions for Education of the Disadvantaged (SAIED): To cater to the needs of the people with physical or mental disabilities the NOS has accredited institutions for education of the disadvantaged. Academic courses like open basic education (OBE), secondary and senior secondary courses and vocational courses are offered either independently or in combination with an academic subject(s) through SAIED.
Special Fe atures of NOS:
– It allows total freedom to learn at one’s own speed. One gets a period of 5 years and 9 chances to complete the course
– Flexibility in choice of subjects.
– There is no age limitation for admission in NOS programmers.
– For admission, a person is required to submit the following supporting documents:
– Attested copy of birth certificate, obtained in one of the following ways:
• From the Admission Register of the last school attended or
• Birth certificate from Registrar of Births and Death or
• From a recognized Hospital or
• Affidavit from parents countersigned by first class/sub division magistrate.
– Minimum Education Qualifications:
• Self Certificate or Certificate of class V / Matriculation/Higher Secondary pass.
– Five recent passport size (3cmx2cm) photographs are also required
– Handicapped are exempted from payment of registration and cost of course material.
• Candidates with disabilities are required to produce a certificate from a Government hospital and not from a private nursing home.
FOR MORE DETAILS CONTACT:
State:
• Contact persons in the State see Annexure-II.A
• Voluntary Organizations in the state (See list of NGOs at annexure IV)
Centre:
Joint Secretary (Disabilities)
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment,
Shastri Bhawan,
New Delhi-110001.
CONTACT ADDRESS for more information and clarifications:
1. NATIONAL OPEN SCHOOL
B-13/B, Kailash Colony
New Delhi –110 048.