OAE at its Core: Mission and Vision

The Office of Accessible Education (OAE) at IIT Delhi aims to empower students with disabilities by offering them academic accommodations and inclusive support services. We are committed to creating an inclusive campus community by providing access to learning opportunities so that each student with a disability can thrive and grow holistically.

The Office of Accessible Education (OAE) at IIT Delhi envisions a campus where students with disabilities thrive academically, socially, and personally. Our vision is rooted in creating an accessible and supportive environment that embraces diversity and inclusion. By implementing robust accessibility measures, providing tailored support services, and advocating for inclusive practices, we envision cultivating a campus culture that values and promotes the full participation of all students.

<ol><li>2019: Proposal to establish the OAE was initiated.</li><li>2019–2022: OAE functioned under the Associate Dean, Student Welfare (ADSW).</li><li>6th Sept 2022: OAE officially came under the Office of Diversity &amp; Inclusion.</li><li>2022: An infrastructure accessibility audit was proposed to assess and enhance campus accessibility for persons with disabilities.</li><li>2022–23: Phase I of the Infrastructure Accessibility Audit was conducted.</li><li>10th Jan 2023: NISHAAN, IIT Delhi’s first cultural event for persons with disabilities, was held.</li><li>16th Mar 2024: SANGAM, the first sports event for persons with disabilities, took place.</li><li>2024: OAE introduced accessible e-carts, elevated wheelchairs, inclusive labs/classrooms, and smart learning tools. It also held sensitization workshops, intercollege events, and developed the Reasonable Accommodation Policy.</li><li>2025: An infrastructure sensitization workshop was conducted for IIT Delhi’s engineers and architects to promote inclusive campus development.OAE remains committed to fostering inclusion and continuously working to make the campus more accessible and inclusive for all.</li></ol>

At IIT Delhi, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible campus environment for all. Our recent initiatives to support students with disabilities include:<ol><li>Accessible Transport &amp; Mobility</li></ol>Accessible E-Cart &amp; E-Rickshaw Services: Dedicated transportation services such as an accessible e-cart and e-rickshaws have been introduced to facilitate easy mobility across the campus for students with disabilities.Accessible Washroom and Drinking water facilities: Accessible washrooms and drinking water facilities have been installed in academic buildings and hostels.<ol start="2"><li>Braille Accessibility</li></ol>Braille panels have been integrated into lifts.Braille nameplates have been installed across academic departments and administrative offices.<ol start="3"><li>Infrastructural Accessibility</li></ol>At IIT Delhi, we are actively working to create a barrier-free campus that upholds the principles of universal design for all. Key infrastructure initiatives include:Campus-Wide Accessibility Improvements: Ongoing efforts are being made to ensure that all buildings, pathways, and facilities are accessible to students, staff, and visitors with disabilities.<ol start="3"><li>Installation and Upgradation of Ramps:</li></ol>Ramps have been constructed at key academic, residential, and administrative buildings to enable smooth wheelchair access.Existing ramps are being retrofitted to comply with accessibility standards, including appropriate gradient, handrails on both sides, and non-slip surfaces.Making hostel spaces and rooms accessible for students with disabilities<ol start="4"><li>Accessible Laboratories</li></ol>Introduction of accessible-height tables in laboratories.Provision of elevated wheelchair in labs to ensure independent participation in practical sessions.Academic Support &amp; Assistive Technologies<ol start="5"><li>Academic &amp; Examination Support</li></ol>Provision of scribes and compensatory time during examinations for students.Providing reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities on a case-by-case basis.<ol start="6"><li>Provision of Assistive Devices - A range of assistive technologies are available, including:</li></ol><ol><li>E-Wheelchairs</li><li>Dot Book (Braille Tablet)</li><li>Braille Embosser</li><li>Optical Magnifiers</li><li>Hearing Aids</li><li>Canes &amp; SMART Canes</li><li>Kibo XS – a scanning and reading device</li><li>Sensitisation and Training</li></ol><ol start="7"><li>Sensitization Workshops</li></ol>Regular workshops are conducted for students, faculty, and staff to sensitize them on aspects of disability.<ol start="8"><li>Career Readiness Workshops</li></ol>Initiatives such as mock interviews and personality development sessions are offered to empower students with disabilities for internships and placements.<ol start="9"><li>Classroom inclusion and accessibility</li></ol>To support students with diverse disabilities, classrooms are equipped with display screens and smartboards. These tools enhance visibility, enable real-time captioning, and support inclusive teaching practices for all learners.<ol start="10"><li>Representation of Students with Disabilities on Campus</li></ol>IIT Delhi is committed to fostering inclusiveness on campus by ensuring that students with disabilities have a voice in key decision-making processes. Students with disabilities are actively part of various student bodies and various campus forums. This inclusive approach helps ensure that the perspectives and needs of students with disabilities are acknowledged and addressed in campus policies and initiatives.

At IIT Delhi, multiple structured mentoring systems are in place to ensure that students with disabilities receive both academic and non-academic support throughout their journey:1. Buddy Mentorship Programme Every year, incoming students with disabilities are paired with senior students with disabilities through a buddy mentorship system. These mentors provide guidance on academic matters, campus life, and day-to-day navigation of the institute. Buddy mentors are typically assigned based on hostel allocation, ensuring ease of access and regular interaction, especially as first-year students often reside in common hostels.2. Board for Student Welfare (BSW) Mentorship The institute’s Board for Student Welfare (BSW) runs a campus-wide mentorship programme for all students. As part of this initiative, each student with a disability is also assigned a BSW mentor within their hostel. These mentors serve as an accessible point of contact for any personal, social, or institutional challenges that students may encounter.3. Academic Progress Group (APG) Support Students requiring additional academic assistance beyond the classroom can approach the Academic Progress Group (APG). Through this initiative, students in need are matched with peer tutors who provide subject-specific academic support, helping them stay on track with coursework and learning outcomes.

Who We Are -  Office of Accessible Education (OAE)

Group picture of students participating in NISHAAN 2024

Ensuring equal participation in social and cultural events on campus is imperative to achieve inclusion on campus and NISHAAN stands for the same inclusive message. NISHAAN is a cultural event that is organized every year by the Office of Accessible Education. The objective of NISHAAN is to have an inclusive platform that celebrates the diversity at IIT Delhi through the showcase of the abilities and talents of students with disabilities in extra curriculars.The celebration of expression through talent and prize distribution was held on 20th January 2024. All the participants were given an opportunity to perform/showcase their talents through dance, drama, singing, photography, and long essay/poetry.This year NISHAAN had an overwhelmingly positive response of a total participation of 26 participants across different categories.The event saw wholesome participation and fervour from the audience as well as the participants in different categories like music, dance, drama art and poetry. All participants were felicitated with certificates for their participation and to all the prize winners along with cash prizes.The aim of organizing NISHAAN was a success this year with the hope that next year NISHAAN will be organized and celebrated with more participation from students and publicized to the IITD community at a larger scale.

Dance Performance by Inclusive Dance Group WE ARE ONE 

The Office of Accessible Education at IIT Delhi like the previous year organised NISHAAN 2025, a cultural event that celebrated the creativity, diversity, and talent of students with disabilities.The event offered an inclusive platform for students with disabilities to exhibit their abilities through various cultural activities, including music, dance, drama, painting, photography, as well as poetry and essay performances.This year, NISHAAN welcomed the participation of students with disabilities from colleges across Delhi, further reinforcing its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Group Picture of Participants of SANGAM 2024

IIT Delhi hosted its inaugural inclusive inter- college sports event ‘SANGAM’ welcoming students with disabilities from universities across Delhi/NCR. True to its name, SANGAM transcended mere sports; it was a celebration of diversity and inclusion, marking the beginning of inclusivity in sports at IIT Delhi with the aim of increasing the participation of students with disabilities in extracurricular activities.To make this event diverse and inclusive for all, different sports categories such as blind cricket, blind chess, athletics, table tennis and carrom were organized so that students with disabilities could equally participate in this sports event. Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director of IIT Delhi was the Chief Guest for SANGAM who came to encourage all the participants to give their best and have a one-to-one interaction with them.The event started with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement with the participation of students from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Kirori Mal College, Delhi University and Ashoka University in categories of relay, table tennis, carrom, blind chess, blind cricket.Looking ahead, we envision SANGAM transcending boundaries, welcoming more colleges and universities nationwide. Our aim is to provide students with disabilities from across the country a platform to participate and thrive in this sports extravaganza at IIT Delhi.

Prize Distribution Ceremony of SANGAM 2025

IIT Delhi organised an inclusive intercollege sports event, namely SANGAM, for students with disabilities.The sports event organized by the Office of Accessible Education, Office of Diversity &amp; Inclusion held on was a remarkable success, bringing together 110 students with disabilities from 25 colleges across the Delhi/NCR region. The sports event held on March 1, 2025, was a celebration of talent, determination, and the spirit of competition.Participants with diverse disabilities, included 63 students with visual impairment and 77 students with other disabilities such as locomotor, hearing, invisible disabilities, and low vision, who competed in a variety of sporting events. The athletic events featured the 100m race and 400m relay, alongside carrom and table tennis, and badminton and blind chess tournaments.The highlight of the day was the blind cricket match, with teams from JNU, Kirori Mal College, and other Delhi University colleges competing fiercely. The Kirori Mal College team emerged victorious, with the other DU XI team coming second. Blind chess, played with tactile chess boards, also captivated the audience, showcasing the participants' incredible strategic skills.The event culminated with a closing ceremony, where trophies were awarded to top performers from Hindu College, Hansraj College, Amity University, Kirori Mal College, Lady Sri Ram College, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Janaki Devi Memorial College, Satyavati College, Khalsa College, Miranda House, Shivaji College, Indraprastha College for Women, and IIT Delhi.SANGAM 2025 served as a powerful reminder of the significance of inclusion, and IIT Delhi looks forward to organizing this event with even greater enthusiasm and grandeur each year.