THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH) in the state capital may soon get state varsity status. The state government has begun exploring the options to elevate the city institute to a state university. The move comes in the wake of delay from the Union government in granting university status to the city institute.
Responding to questions from legislators V K Ibrahim Kunju, M Ummer, Manjalamkuzhi Ali and N Shamsudeen on the proposed move to elevate NISH to a national university, Health and Social Justice Minister K K Shylaja informed the Assembly that efforts in this regard are currently on. There was a proposal in the 2015-16 union budget to elevate NISH to a national university.
In November 2018, the state government had sent a letter to the Union ministry of Social Justice seeking to implement the same. However the government is yet to receive a response. In this backdrop, the state government has started exploring the possibilities of upgrading NISH to a university under the state government, the minister said.
Shailaja further mentioned that the state government had evinced interest in the Union Government's proposal. "The Centre in its response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, has stated that the national university is likely to be set up in the north-eastern region. However official intimation is yet to be received," the minister said in a written reply to the Assembly. An autonomous organisation which is registered as a society by the Social Justice Department, NISH offers a host of programmes for enabling individuals with disabilities.
G Vijayaraghavan, founder and former honorary director of the institution, said the state government's decision to elevate it as a state university was a welcome move."Upgradation of NISH as a state university can help in creating professional support for those with disability. Also it will offer a platform for higher education opportunities for individuals with disabilities. The university will work in a two-fold manner," said Vijayaraghavan.