Stand With MSVD Students: Their Demands Must Be Addressed
The Issue
Students of Classes IX to XII at the Model Senior Secondary School for Visual Disabilities (MSVD), National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD), Dehradun, have raised serious concerns and demands relating to their education, assistive technology, hostel facilities, health, sports, academic support and overall well-being.
These are not demands for privilege. They are demands for the basic educational, accessibility and institutional support that students with visual disabilities need to learn, grow, become independent and participate equally in society.
The students have raised concerns including the shortage of Braille teachers, skill-subject instructors and mobility instructors; provision of laptops; restoration of financial assistance for higher studies; availability of accessible books and library resources; adequate hostel staff and wardens; food and sanitation; medical services; sports facilities; CCTV and Wi-Fi; and other essential student-support facilities.
The students have presented these concerns before the concerned authorities and have sought concrete solutions. Their demands deserve to be heard not merely as a list of grievances, but as a call for an educational environment in which students with visual disabilities can study, develop their abilities and prepare for an independent future with dignity.
On 3 August 2026, students began an agitation over these concerns. The matter subsequently came to the attention of the Institute administration. The Institute's factual-position report dated 8 August 2026 records that the students placed their demands point-by-point before the authorities and that each issue was heard and considered.
We, the undersigned alumni of MSVD, NIEPVD and well wishers of MSVD Student, stand firmly with the students.We believe that students should not have to repeatedly raise their voices or resort to agitation for issues concerning their education, accessibility, safety, dignity and basic welfare to receive serious attention.
We acknowledge the steps and proposed measures communicated by the Institute, including those concerning laptops, financial assistance, CCTV, sports and hostel/administrative staffing. However, assurances and administrative processes must ultimately result in concrete implementation.
The students deserve action — not indefinite assurances.We therefore call upon the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, to intervene and ensure a time-bound, transparent and accountable resolution of the students' genuine demands.
We call for a written, point-wise action plan with clear timelines for every unresolved demand, along with regular monitoring by the competent authority so that students can know what action is being taken and when they can expect their concerns to be resolved.
We urge the authorities to listen to the students, respect their voices, address their concerns with urgency, and ensure that no student is intimidated, harassed or subjected to retaliation for peacefully raising genuine grievances.
This petition is initiated by concerned alumni of MSVD, NIEPVD, but it is open to everyone who stands with the students and supports their right to quality education, accessibility, dignity, safety and equal opportunities
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The Issue
Students of Classes IX to XII at the Model Senior Secondary School for Visual Disabilities (MSVD), National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD), Dehradun, have raised serious concerns and demands relating to their education, assistive technology, hostel facilities, health, sports, academic support and overall well-being.
These are not demands for privilege. They are demands for the basic educational, accessibility and institutional support that students with visual disabilities need to learn, grow, become independent and participate equally in society.
The students have raised concerns including the shortage of Braille teachers, skill-subject instructors and mobility instructors; provision of laptops; restoration of financial assistance for higher studies; availability of accessible books and library resources; adequate hostel staff and wardens; food and sanitation; medical services; sports facilities; CCTV and Wi-Fi; and other essential student-support facilities.
The students have presented these concerns before the concerned authorities and have sought concrete solutions. Their demands deserve to be heard not merely as a list of grievances, but as a call for an educational environment in which students with visual disabilities can study, develop their abilities and prepare for an independent future with dignity.
On 3 August 2026, students began an agitation over these concerns. The matter subsequently came to the attention of the Institute administration. The Institute's factual-position report dated 8 August 2026 records that the students placed their demands point-by-point before the authorities and that each issue was heard and considered.
We, the undersigned alumni of MSVD, NIEPVD and well wishers of MSVD Student, stand firmly with the students.We believe that students should not have to repeatedly raise their voices or resort to agitation for issues concerning their education, accessibility, safety, dignity and basic welfare to receive serious attention.
We acknowledge the steps and proposed measures communicated by the Institute, including those concerning laptops, financial assistance, CCTV, sports and hostel/administrative staffing. However, assurances and administrative processes must ultimately result in concrete implementation.
The students deserve action — not indefinite assurances.We therefore call upon the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, to intervene and ensure a time-bound, transparent and accountable resolution of the students' genuine demands.
We call for a written, point-wise action plan with clear timelines for every unresolved demand, along with regular monitoring by the competent authority so that students can know what action is being taken and when they can expect their concerns to be resolved.
We urge the authorities to listen to the students, respect their voices, address their concerns with urgency, and ensure that no student is intimidated, harassed or subjected to retaliation for peacefully raising genuine grievances.
This petition is initiated by concerned alumni of MSVD, NIEPVD, but it is open to everyone who stands with the students and supports their right to quality education, accessibility, dignity, safety and equal opportunities
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Petition created on 8 August 2026