Recently, two innovators associated with the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) were honoured with national awards by the President of India for their groundbreaking and sustained contributions to disability advocacy.
Vineet Saraiwala, a 2015 alumnus, received recognition for founding Atypical Advantage, one of the largest platforms in India for Persons with Disabilities (PwD). The initiative has facilitated livelihood opportunities for over 20,000 talents and partnered with more than 300 corporates. Alina Alam, the founder of Mitti Cafe and an incubatee of IIMB’s NSRCEL, was celebrated for her venture’s transformative impact. Mitti Cafe promotes equitable and dignified employment for persons with disabilities, operating inclusive spaces across the country, including at Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Supreme Court of India.
As the two IIMB alumni received the award, Professor Mukta Kulkarni, Organisational Behavior and Human Resources Management, IIMB, shared with The Hindu how the institution has been one of the pioneers in making its space more inclusive for PwDs thus helping create greater inclusivity for them in the corporate sector.
If a student has hearing difficulties, he/she will be made to sit in the first row. Similarly, digital boards or tablets that help take a closer look at what’s written on the board are provided to students with low-vision.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Inclusivity in classrooms
“IIMB is very inclusive, starting from the Common Admission Test (CAT) exams. This is the case with all IIMs. The CAT exam is quite inclusive, it is accessible for people with special requirements, including the visually impaired. Once a student is admitted inside the institution, they meet with an expert who assesses them and can seek facilities like physiotherapy, hearing aids, assistive technology and more. Communication regarding each student with a disability is sent to every faculty member during each semester,” she explained.
For instance, if a student has hearing difficulties, he/she will be made to sit in the first row. Similarly, digital boards or tablets that help take a closer look at what’s written on the board are provided to students with low vision. Kulkarni recollected an instance where one of her students who had hearing difficulties was provided in advance with a transcript of the video that was to be shown later in the class.
Inclusivity in corporate sectors
Kulkarni, a former member of EnAble India’s Advisory Board, said that she has been engaged in building disability-inclusive organisations since 2003.
“I remember when I first began working on the topic, about 5% of the organisations I encountered were doing much beyond building basic ramps. Today, when I meet with organisational leaders, more than 50% are aware of what disability inclusion and reasonable accommodation entails,” she said.
“One important change in hiring practices is moving away from traditional verbal interviews and adopting skills-based assessments such as simulations or project-based tasks to evaluate candidates, particularly for neurodiverse candidates. Traditional interviews often rely on verbal communication skills, which may not accurately reflect the strengths and capabilities of neurodiverse individuals. For instance, someone with autism or ADHD might excel in problem-solving, technical tasks, or creative thinking but may struggle with the social dynamics or stress of a verbal interview setting. By using skills-based assessments, employers can create a more level playing field,” she added.
Kulkarni says that simulations or real-world projects allow candidates to demonstrate their true abilities in a practical context, rather than relying on their a
