Thesis
The lived experiences of persons with disabilities pursuing higher education in Indian Punjab: freedoms, unfreedoms, and the role of government.
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2024
- Thesis identifier
- T17015
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 201855462
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- This investigation facilitates an international platform for the unheard voices of individuals with impairments pursuing Higher Education [HE] in Indian Punjab. Considering the dearth of scholarly work on the intersectionality of disability and HE in Punjab, this investigation is exploratory in nature, and hence post-deliberations it was formulated to be an objectives-driven-research. The objectives for this exploratory study were to facilitate thick description which could provide a concrete starting point for future region-centric research in this field. Supporting literature was scarce; but primary, anecdotal observations by the researcher as a resident of Indian-Punjab for 27 years at the start of this work, pre-positioned acknowledgment of the existence of power dynamics wherein the disabled were a vulnerable group. Further, keeping in view that only a minuscule population could access HE in India, and an even smaller proportion of this were from amongst the disabled, the target population represented the maximum degree of inclusion for the disabled into HE in Punjab. Therefore, the target group was well equipped with not only the knowledge about barriers to HE for the disabled but also the means to overcome such barriers. Moreover, by the time this PhD commenced, it had been more than 23 years since India had its first comprehensive legislation on disability. However, no reliable progress report was available, and not much progress can be said to have happened. Furthermore, in a previous small-scale project, I demonstrated that the disabled were not aware about their rights under the disability laws in India. Based on the existing international and national literature as well as my emic Punjabi knowledge, the following research objectives were framed: a) Understanding the barriers, stigma and demotivations experienced by the target group, both in general as well as with particular emphasis on their access to Higher Education b) Understanding the support mechanisms and motivation for the target population, both in general as well as with particular emphasis on breaching barriers to HE. c) Assessing the un/availability status of basic amenities in the sample universities and juxtaposing the same against the norms of the national disability legislation. d) Assessing and analysing the awareness status of the target group regarding their rights in relation to the national disability law. From these objectives, the following questions were generated for the present research: a) What were/are the unfreedoms that the participants faced in general and in accessing Higher Education in Indian Punjab, in particular? b) What were/are the freedoms that enabled the participants to overcome their unfreedoms? c) What was the availability status of ramps, lifts, and universal design toilets in the sample institutions? d) What was the awareness of the participants regarding the national disability law, their rights under the same and their awareness of the disability flagship programmes in India and/or Punjab? To address these research questions, 36 students with disabilities pursuing HE in three public funded universities in Punjab were interviewed in-person using a semi-structured interview schedule. Additionally, structured primary observations were documented regarding the un/availability status of amenities at these institutions. Results: This investigation has accumulated deep insights into the lived realities of the disabled in Punjab. The thesis identifies those variables perceived as barriers and demotivations as well as those factors perceived as support mechanisms and motivations in general and more specifically in accessing Higher Education by the disabled in Punjab. The research also highlights socio-cultural flavours and regional connotations as understood by the participants. Finally, building on the information received through these interviews, I—in the capacity of an emic author—have posited multiple suggestions.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Adams, Paul
- Hunter, Sharon
- Resource Type
- DOI
Relations
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PDF of thesis T17015 | 2024-07-16 | Public | Download |