The classroom is a sub-section of the society. It has students from around the world with diverse identities and unique personalities. The mere representation of diversity in our classrooms indicates the need for educational institutions to be inclusive. An inclusive institution is a breeding ground for students with heightened potential for innovation and complex problem-solving capabilities.
However, creating an inclusive classroom setup is not easy. There are a lot of aspects of diversity represented in classrooms. A few of them are visible like gender, physical attributes, etc. But the social conditioning, religion, language, talents possessed, communication styles, educational background, etc. are invisible. The onus of acknowledging and appreciating the multitude of diversity that students bring to the table and leveraging it constructively is with education institutions.
Inclusion is a process by which every learning for all is ensured equitable despite the differences they carry. To achieve this, an institution has to proactively take steps in this direction which includes but is not restricted to:
- To build inclusion into the DNA of the institution: This includes creating the right attitude and culture in the institution, which offers students an opportunity to exercise their voice and control over their learning & development experiences.
- To embed inclusive practices in the institution: This includes leveraging teaching-learning practices and tools adapted to the individual learning needs of various types of students
- To create a campus that is safe physically, socially, culturally, emotionally
- To engage students inclusively through student resource groups, clubs, and committees. It will also include inter-intra collegiate sports and cultural events, the celebration of various festivals, etc
- To ensure accessibility till the last mile, including transport facilities, digital signage systems, availability of ramps, etc
- To demystify diversity in education institutions through training and sensitization programs
Avtar has embarked on an initiative called “Most Equitable Institutions”, where we are working with education institutions across the country, creating awareness about DEI through large-scale training programs and sensitization sessions. We have also marked our presence in marquee conferences hosted by educational institutions, where we have stressed the importance of acknowledging the importance of diversity and how every individual in an institution is accountable for creating a safe and inclusive campus. We hosted ‘Diversathon’ in December 2022, where student teams from more than 11 institutions presented their views on “Creating Inclusive Campuses”.
While organizations like Avtar can do their best for creating the most equitable and inclusive campuses, it requires an equal amount of participation and commitment from education institutions to achieve the same. Inclusive education calls for equitable access to education and expanding it towards creating a feeling of belongingness for students in institutions. It would necessitate the creation of campuses where the curriculum embraces inclusive learning methodologies and where students feel valued and safe in expressing their views and ideas. All these contribute towards nurturing future corporate citizens who are responsible and at the same time, support the nation in achieving Atma Nirbhar Bharat goals.
