Ashoka Reflections - Apr 2023
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ASHOKA
REFLECTIONS
A S H O K A U N I V E R S I T Y ' S M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R
A P R I L 2 0 2 3
Ashoka University Launches New Centre
for a People-Centric Energy Transition
BIG NEWS
Ashoka Reflections | Page 01
Ashoka University announced the launch of the Ashoka Centre for a People-centric Energy Transition (ACPET),
with a vision to become a world-class knowledge institution in support of economic growth, energy security
and net-zero ambitions of India and the Global South.
The Centre’s debut project is a draft Integrated Energy Policy for India. Further, it will prioritise projects in areas
like Energy Efficiency and Conservation, including behavioural change; Governance of the Energy Sector;
Cooling Technologies; Carbon Markets, Hydrogen Economy; and Electric Mobility. The Centre will work in
partnership with the Indian industry and the Government in generating insights and models applicable to
supporting India’s clean growth objectives. It will also offer courses at undergraduate, postgraduate and
executive levels.
“India’s energy needs are only going up. Electric mobility is picking up. We are discussing the creation of a
domestic carbon market. Ambitions around the use of hydrogen are high. India’s energy sector is currently
undergoing a transition. And of course, job creation and economic growth remain priorities. Managing this well
will benefit from a Centre that thinks in an integrated way, is centred around people and economic growth, and
benefits from a two-way dialogue with the market and Government. I am grateful to have worked with a small
team of very committed people and of course, the founders of Ashoka University to get us to this stage; and I
remain committed to setting this up and getting the Centre on the road,” Mahua Acharya, first interim Director
ACPET and former MD & CEO, Convergence Energy Services Limited of the Government of India said.
“We are pleased to be financially supporting the creation of this institution. The country needs it and there is no
better institution than Ashoka University to host it,” said Saurabh Kumar, India Head of the Global Energy
Alliance for People and the Planet.
“Energy transition is a complex issue, requiring a look into economic growth in a manner that is sustainable,
without compromising the needs of the most vulnerable sections of our society. At Ashoka, we are resolutely
committed to supporting India and the Global South in traversing this journey towards ‘net zero’, in ways that
are both just and equitable. This will require well-informed insights and innovations in the fields of technology,
business and policymaking. The launch of ACPET is an important step in this direction, it will act as a ‘go-to’
knowledge centre for informing best practices that we can adopt as a society”, said Pramath Raj Sinha, Founder
and Chairperson, Board of Trustees at Ashoka University.
Speaking about the overall approach, Somak Raychaudhury, Vice Chancellor, Ashoka University said, “At
Ashoka, we have always taken an inter-disciplinary approach to thinking about complex problems of our
society, including the challenge of addressing the impacts of climate change. In the context of the energy
transition, this particularly requires formulating solutions that are ‘people-centric’, ideas that weigh in the
interests and needs of all stakeholders. ACPET will bring this to fruition by having a fulcrum of world-class
faculty and practitioners from the fields of natural and social sciences; a collaborative approach; and a
commitment to producing cutting-edge research.”
ACPET will have three research verticals. 1) Decarbonisation: Identifying near and middle-term opportunities to
decarbonise India’s economy, especially supporting the creation of new manufacturing capacity in a
sustainable manner. 2) Net Zero Energy Future: Develop a vision for a Net Zero sustainable society, in line with
India’s vision and the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) principles. 3) Energy Finance: Identify methods to bring in
domestic and international capital into Indian economic sectors.
Ashoka Reflections | Page 02
The Centre will support the ‘Net-Zero’ ambitions of
India, starting with a draft Integrated Energy
Policy for India
Office of Learning Support
Ashoka Reflections | Page 03
In Focus
The Office of Learning Support (OLS) at Ashoka University was set up in 2016
challenging the status quo in higher education for the inclusion of students with
invisible disabilities, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia and other specific learning
disabilities. Since then, the office has expanded its support to other disabilities as
well. Over the last few years, it has supported students with visual impairment,
hearing impairment, autism, cerebral palsy along with various specific learning
disabilities. The office acts as a central resource centre on specific-needs-related
information and services for the University and also promotes a collaborative
approach to implement inclusive practices at Ashoka.
C O V E R S T O R Y
Ashoka Reflections | Page 04
DIVERSITY. INCLUSION. EQUITY:
A GROWING CULTURE AT ASHOKA
Ashoka University is uniquely positioned to lead the way in India to
further the cause of inclusion at a systemic level, writes Reena Gupta
“The problem is not how to wipe out the differences but how to unite with the differences intact”.
~ Rabindranath Tagore
Diversity exists all around us in the form of human differences
Inclusion makes way for everyone in every activity
Equity ensures people get the support they need to succeed
The Office of Learning Support (OLS) creates this diverse, inclusive, and equitable culture on campus that values
individual differences. We started our journey seven years back with a dream of a well-resourced world-class
support system for students with invisible disabilities. Today, we see students with all kinds of abilities and
challenges applying and becoming an integral part of the diversity at Ashoka, contributing towards building a
truly global university with its heart at the right place.
The office engages with many stakeholders within as well as outside Ashoka, and thus we’ve had the opportunity
to learn, unlearn and relearn along with our students as well as from their families, educators, industry experts
and policymakers.
C O V E R S T O R Y
Ashoka Reflections | Page 05
Student-centred approach within the Ashoka community
Systemic-shift approach with the community outside Ashoka
These statistics clearly indicate the enormity of the challenge of bringing students with disabilities into the higher
education system. Many of them discontinue their education after high school owing to several barriers. These
include limited availability of resources and support systems and a lack of awareness about their strengths and
capabilities.
A systemic change across different levels of educational institutions as well as regulatory frameworks is needed
to harness the abilities of these students. Challenging the status quo is precisely what Ashoka University initiated
through the Office of Learning Support (OLS) in 2016.
Our Approach
The OLS follows a two-pronged approach in its work.
1.
2.
Within Ashoka, the range of our work covers awareness and sensitization to daily academic and residential
support to career planning for students registered with us. Learning Support is available to all Ashoka students
who struggle with different aspects of their academics, unrelated to disability too.
Besides the students with disabilities, another 3 per cent of Ashoka students receive support from the office with
respect to their study skills, time management, specific academic skills related guidance, and managing overall
academic rigour.
C O V E R S T O R Y
Ashoka Reflections | Page 06
Our biggest achievement so far has been about building a culture of inclusion and allyship on campus. Today,
the student community has come together to learn from and along with their peers who may learn differently
or have specific needs. This allyship is empowering them to take meaningful action and include everyone in all
campus life activities and programs.
Outside Ashoka, the OLS has initiated and steered crucial conversations around the inclusion of students with
disabilities in higher education. We convened the first pan-India online summit that initiated a deliberation
around best practices and helped spearhead collaborations with like-minded institutions. The conversations
delved into discussions on policies, solutions to major systemic and infrastructural barriers, research, and
technological advancements.
We also organised the first-ever conference on the inclusion of students with dyslexia in higher education
institutions in India in 2021. The virtual conference aimed to spotlight dyslexia through lived experiences,
explore its acceptance in HEIs in India and look at its future in the realm of employment. It brought together
academicians, practitioners, industry experts, parents, students, advocates, and policymakers to share best
practices, knowledge and lived experiences to enable effective support systems for students with dyslexia
across the HEIs.
Through its College Readiness Programme (CRP), the OLS is building the capacity to strengthen the educational
ecosystem for people with disabilities. The programme that’s conducted online twice a year over three days
engages various stakeholders – schools, career counsellors, parents, students, and professionals in a virtual
learning series. It equips students with the skills required in higher education and be future-ready.
On the Policy side, the OLS, along with the members from different organisations across the country,
participated in the committee formed by the then Chairman, AICTE. The committee prepared a report on the
need to strategically focus on the inclusion of students with SLDs in higher education institutions. Those
recommendations were approved and are in the process of being implemented in technical
colleges/universities.
Looking Ahead
We believe that Ashoka, with its vision, its eminent place in the HEI eco-system and its proven credentials and
experience in fostering an inclusive environment, is uniquely positioned to lead the way in India to further the
cause of inclusion at a systemic level. Moving forward, we plan to collaborate with organisations interested in
bringing about this much-needed change in our society and establish a system that promotes an in-depth
understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity and the dissemination of best inclusive practices in higher
education institutions in India.
(Reena Gupta is the Director, Office of Learning Support at Ashoka University, leading a unique initiative to
establish a comprehensive inclusive education framework supporting students with specific learning needs at
the university level)
C O V E R S T O R Y
Ashoka Reflections | Page 07
BUILDING BRIDGES TO SUCCESS
Inclusion and support for those with learning challenges must be
the foundation of every educational institution in India, writes
Ashoka founder Chandana Singh
Ashoka Reflections | Page 08
For a student with learning difficulties, the journey through educational institutions is a difficult one and
brings in daily struggles to cope and get through a challenging day, where both academics and social
interactions are pressured and stressful. This results in anxiety-related issues and a breakdown of confidence.
The only ray of light for such students is getting the right support and accommodations, which only trained
educators can provide. This enables the student to cope with these daily challenges and reach closer to their
goals. Inclusion and support for those with learning challenges must be the foundation of every educational
institution in India. There is a need for each such institution to have a centre that supports and advocates for
those with neurodiverse learning needs.
A Home Away from Home
Learning Support Centres build a bridge between Home and Educational Institutions. For students with
learning disabilities, the first two and primarily the most important pillars of support are Parents and
Teachers. It is only when there is support, and acceptance and both these arms are working together in sync,
can a student with learning requirements move ahead to complete their education and become a confident
part of the workforce. This is a resource where parents can connect with the teachers in the educational
institution, understand the gaps, and advocate for the support that their child needs thereby creating a bridge
for the student between the Home and the Educational Institution.
Learning Support at Ashoka
It is of critical importance that at the minimum every educational institution must have a centre that is
exclusively devoted to creating these bridges and supporting students with disabilities. This was in complete
consonance with the inclusive and progressive philosophy of Ashoka, and that is how the concept of the Office
of Learning Support (OLS) was born. The purpose behind setting up OLS was clear: to get the message across
that neurodiverse learners need continued support even in higher educational institutions so that they can
successfully complete their learning journey and transition into professions of their choice. Once they reach the
workforce as confident individuals, they can contribute hugely with their talent, creativity, and intelligence to
any field that they choose.
An office like the OLS has the potential to change the conversations around learning difficulties. The OLS is
supporting a wide range of students with Learning challenges including students with Specific Learning
Disabilities (SLDs), those on the spectrum, those with physical challenges, with language barrier difficulties,
visual and hearing impairments, and a wide range of neuro-diverse learners.
Providing a support centre works on the underlying philosophy that inclusion will create a more empathetic
and progressive society – one in which every neuro-diverse learner has an equal opportunity. Ashoka University
is today looked upon as a pioneer and leader in supporting inclusion at university-level education.
(Chandana Singh is a Founder Consultant at Advocacy for Dyslexia)
Ashoka Reflections | Page 09
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