Historic Step Towards Legal Inclusivity: Constitution of India in Braille Version
Ambar Bhattacharya, Takmaa News, Kolkata, 12th July 2024 : The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) organized a grand ceremony to unveil the Constitution of India in Braille version. This significant event marked a historic step towards inclusivity and accessibility in the ecosystem of legal education and the legal profession.
Prof. Dr. Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of WBNUJS, was present at the event and addressed the media, highlighting the importance of making the Constitution of India accessible to visually impaired students as well as any other citizen of India.
Prof. Dr. Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti said, “This is a momentous occasion for us at WBNUJS. The Constitution of India in Braille will empower visually impaired individuals by providing them with direct access to our nation’s fundamental legal document. It is a significant step towards ensuring that everyone, regardless of their physical abilities, can understand the legislative, executive, and judicial system of India.”
The initiative to create a Braille version of the Indian Constitution is especially significant since it gives blind people unparalleled access to vital legal information. In addition to encouraging inclusivity, accessibility improves the capacity of people with visual impairments to actively engage in the legal system, fight for their own rights and the rights of others, and make significant contributions to society. On this occasion, we shall also acknowledge the cooperation and hard work dedicated by the Principal and staff of the Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys’ Academy, Narendrapur, Regional Press.
The event celebrated this milestone achievement, reflecting WBNUJS’s dedication to breaking barriers and promoting equal access to legal resources by establishing the Accessibility Lab for visually impaired students in 2020. This initiative of launching the Braille version of the Constitution of India is expected to greatly benefit visually impaired individuals, enabling them to gain knowledge and understanding of the nation’s laws. The NUJS Library will be open for all such students besides the law students.
The initiative is a testament to WBNUJS’s commitment to our constitutional commitment to an inclusive society. The university takes great pride in opening this new chapter in legal accessibility and looks forward to furthering such inclusive initiatives in the future. This effort by WBNUJS is expected to set a precedent for other institutions, encouraging them to adopt similar measures to ensure that legal education and resources are accessible to all members of society.
