Indian Sign Language

HEADLINES:

Historic MoU Signed between ISLRTC and NCERT for Converting Educational Materials in to Indian Sign Language

WHY IN NEWS:

Union Education Minister and Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment virtually attend the 60th Foundation Day of NCERT

MINISTRY? :-Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Education

LEARNING:

For PRELIMS this is an important article . Go through each bit carefully ! How Sign Language in India is propagated and its usage is very important .

For MAINS go with the background and hurdles faced by deaf community . If possible search the nearest NGO or its website !

ISSUE:

MoU was signed between ISLRTC and NCERT to make education materials accessible

SIGN LANGUAGE MODULE FOR DIVYANG

Indian Sign Language denotes Unity in Diversity which is explained through Hands and understood through Eyes.
It connects all hearing impaired people of our country all together.

Now NCERT under Ministry of Education will develop a Sign Language Module for Indian Sign Language.

After this MoU, NCERT educational books and materials will be available in Indian Sign Language .
Which is same all over India, which means all hearing impaired students of India whether from East or West or North or South, they all will read NCERT books in a single language.
Signing of this MoU is based on the UNICEF’s initiative “Accessible Digital Textbooks for All” and it is a landmark decision.

Indian Sign Language | UPSC

WHAT IS SIGN LANGUAGE

Sign Language is a naturally evolved language like other oral languages.
It is used by persons with deafness for day to day life communication.

It is considered as a mother tongue of persons with deafness.

Like other languages it is also an independent language with complex grammar.
It involves naturally evolved visual-manual signs.

BENEFITS AND USAGE

Deaf community uses Sign Language with deaf/hearing community to express their ideas or views.

Sign Language interpreters use to translate the oral language into visual-manual language to make deaf people to understand the information.

Teachers or special educators those who are working with deaf children use Sign Language to teach various subjects and to impart the knowledge.
Parents of deaf children use to communicate with their children in day to day life situations.
Many other professionals those who are working with persons with deafness use to solve their individual needs.

WHERE SIGN LANGUAGE CAN BE USED?

There are many areas where Sign Language can be used.
It can be effectively used in special schools/colleges for the deaf and other types of educational settings.

It can also be used in various commercial offices and other public utility places.

WHY TO PROMOTE SIGN LANGUAGE

There is a high need to promote Sign Language.
According to Census 2001 there are more than one million deaf people and more than ten million people have hard of hearing in India.
In order to serve and uplift the deaf community the Sign Language can be promoted in various areas.

It is highly required to give educational, vocational, social and personal guidance & counseling to deaf people.

Once the hearing children learn the Sign Language, they can accept deaf children .
Even deaf children mingle with their counterparts which will promote the mainstream/inclusive education.
The UNCRPD has emphasized to promote Sign Language in all types of educational institutions.
It is a fundamental right of the deaf person to acquire the information through Sign Language.

HOW TO PROMOTE SIGN LANGUAGE?

Sign Language can be effectively promoted through media and awareness / sensitization programmes for people .

Those who are working with deaf community or involving deaf community can propagate in various school/college activities.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE RESEARCH AND TRAINING CENTRE (ISLRTC)

Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) is an autonomous national institute of DEPwD, MSJE .

It is dedicated to the task of developing man-power for popularizing the use of Indian Sign Language, teaching and conducting research in Indian Sign Language.

VISION

To build an inclusive society in which equal opportunities are provided for the growth and development of Persons with Disabilities.

Such opportunities can let them lead productive, safe and dignified lives.

MISSION

To empower Persons with Disabilities, through its various Acts/Institutions/Organizations and Schemes for rehabilitation.

To create an enabling environment that provides such persons with equal opportunities, protection of their rights .

This will enables them to participate as independent and productive members of society.

OBJECTIVE

To develop manpower for using Indian Sign Language (ISL) and teaching and conducting research in ISL, including bilingualism.
To promote the use of Indian Sign Language as educational mode for deaf students at primary, secondary and higher education levels.
To carry out research through collaboration with universities and other educational institution in India and abroad .
To orient and train various groups, i.e. Govt. officials, teachers, and the public at large for understanding and using Indian Sign Language.
To collaborate with organizations of the deaf and other institutions in the field of disability to promote and propagate Indian Sign Language.
To collect information relating to Sign Language used in other parts of the world and to upgrade the Indian Sign Language.

BACKGROUND

In the 2000s, the Indian deaf community advocated for an institute focused on ISL teaching and research.
The 11^th Five Year Plan (2007-2012) acknowledged that the needs of people with hearing disabilities had been relatively neglected.

It envisaged the development of a sign language research and training center, to promote and develop sign language and training of teachers

The Finance Minister announced the setting up of ISLRTC in the Union Budget speech of 2010-11.
As a result, in 2011, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment approved the establishment of the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Center (ISLRTC) .

FOUNDATION STONE

The foundation stone of the center was laid at IGNOU campus on 4^th October, 2011.
In 2013, the center at IGNOU was closed.

However, the Deaf community protested this decision due to the different perspectives and goals of ISLRTC and AYJNIHH.

An order to this effect was issued by the MSJE on 28^th September, 2015, leading to the establishment of ISLRTC.

IASbhai WINDUP:

This MoU is a historic step as availability of NCERT textbooks in Indian Sign Language (ISL) .
It will ensure that Hearing Impaired children can also now access educational resources in Indian Sign Language .

It will be a useful and much needed resource for Hearing Impaired students, teachers, parents and the Hearing Impaired community.

This in turn will have a huge impact on the education of Hearing Impaired children in the country.
The COVID-19 has also forced all the schools/colleges to stop regular teaching-learning-assessment processes.
The most ambitious NISHTHA integrated training for 42 lakhs teachers at elementary education level has come to a stand still.

SUGGESTED READING : INTERNATIONAL SIGN LANGUAGE DAY

SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | Indian Sign Language | UPSC

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