Centre for Wellness and Inclusion
The Centre for Wellness and Inclusion (CWI) (earlier known as “Office of Disability Centre (CWI))” was established in August 2014 to address the needs of students with disabilities on the IIMI campus. It is the single point of contact for students with disabilities. These disabilities include visual/hearing impairment, locomotor disabilities, and intellectual disabilities, and other disabilities such as Thalassemia. Our goal is to provide students with disabilities an environment where they can learn and perform to their full potential. CWI works with Programme Offices and faculty to ensure that students’ learning experiences are excellent both inside and outside the classroom.
Please read our Equal Opportunity Policy for more details: Equal Opportunity Policy
Diversity & Inclusion
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Accommodation Request Process
Once a student accepts an offer of admission, we send a Reasonable Accommodation Form to help us organize reasonable accommodations before the term begins. All students with disabilities are required to submit the form. The accommodations are provided throughout their stay at IIMI.
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Assessments
After we receive student accommodation forms, we conduct individual need assessment session. The assessment is done well before the term begins and is conducted by a specialist external organization. Information obtained during the assessment include:
- Nature of disability and its impact on education
- Any medications students are taking, physiotherapy, etc.
- Previous support at their schools and colleges
- Access to assistive technology
- Appropriate academic and non-academic support (for example, accessible classrooms, accessible hostel rooms and furniture, exam accommodations, in-class support, etc.)
Based on the assessment report, the requirements of students are shared with concerned departments. We also send emails to teaching faculty before the commencement of each term about students’ needs during classes and exams.
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Academic Accommodations
Academic accommodations are legally mandated modifications and adjustments to ensure that a student with a disability gets an equal opportunity to benefit from the educational process. Accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis and depend on a student’s disability and its functional impacts.
Academic accommodations may include:
- Modifications to the curriculum and examinations
- Provision of accessible course materials
- Scheduling of classes in accessible classrooms with appropriate seating
- Other modifications that enable students to perform to their
Students are required to inform CWI as soon as possible of any problems or delays in obtaining academic accommodation and services.
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Accessible course material
Course materials, including textbooks, handouts, documents, and exams, are provided to students in accessible formats such as MS Word, PDF, etc.
Please note that the accessible materials are intended to be used by the eligible student only and not to be duplicated and shared with friends, peers, posted online, etc. In case of any breach, the student will no longer be eligible to receive the material in accessible formats.
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Extra sessions or Tutoring
Extra sessions or Tutors are provided to students who require additional academic support in a specific course(s). CWI requests students to contact the course faculty for extra sessions or tutoring sessions.
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Accommodations
Reasonable exam accommodations allow students with disabilities to represent their knowledge and perform to their potential. Accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis and may include, but are not limited to:
- Accessible exam room
- Quiet location / distraction-reduced room
- Compensatory time
- Question paper in an accessible format (large font, soft copy, etc.)
- Scribe
- Accessible exam room
We ensure that exams are scheduled in accessible rooms for students with locomotor disabilities.
- Quiet location / distraction-reduced room
A separate room is provided for students using accommodations such as a scribe, a reader, or assistive devices that would distract others. Students with ADHD and anxiety disorders are also provided a separate exam room upon request.
- Compensatory time
- Students with a disability who request extra time during the assessment are provided compensatory time of twenty minutes per hour, as per government guidelines.
- A student may request compensatory time over and above the specified limit. In that case, the Committee on Diversity & Inclusion evaluates the request on a case-by-case basis, considering the nature and severity of impairment.
- Question paper in an accessible format
Question papers are provided in an accessible format accessible. For example, we request faculty to make the font size larger, provide a soft copy of the exam, etc. Students are required to inform CWI about the font size that they are comfortable reading. For a soft copy of the question paper, the student must request faculty to provide the paper in the format desired by them (MS Word, PDF, etc.).
- Faculty provide the soft copy of the question paper to the Programme offices, preferably in a password-encrypted file on a pen drive, which the Programme office opens for the student at the time of the exam.
- Wi-Fi on the desktop is disabled.
- Students cannot bring their cell phones, pen drives, electronic devices, or any material to the exam room.
- The Programme Office or concerned staff retrieves the answer paper and then deletes the question paper from the desktop once the exam is over.
- If a student needs to use any additional assistive device(s) to read/write an exam, s/he will be allowed to do so with prior permission from the Faculty.
- Scribe
Students with severe visual impairments, spinal cord injury, or limited mobility of hand/arm may need a scribe to write their exams.
Students are requested to share the quiz/exam schedule with CWI or concerned office so that we can arrange a scribe. Please note that CWI/office must be given at least two weeks’ notice to make necessary arrangements because finding a scribe might take time. Students are encouraged to meet the scribe a day before or two hours before the exam to discuss the methods of working. During the exam, students should clearly dictate their answers (including punctuation, grammar, or any specific course-related terminology) to the scribe. The scribe is not responsible for rephrasing or organizing the student’s answers. At any time, students may review the answers written by the scribe or ask the scribe to read the answers out loud.
Guidelines for scribe
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Placement
Placements are facilitated by the Career Services office (Placement office) and the Students’ placement committee. Students are advised to meet the Placement head/representative of the placement committee if they need more clarity about the placement process or if they want to apply to specific companies. The placement committee approaches recruiters from specific companies when desired by the student.
CWI sends the DA candidates list about the needs of students during the placement process.
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Sensitization
The Centre for Wellness and Inclusion (CWI) is dedicated to fostering a culture at the Institute where students with disabilities receive support when they need it – as a matter of right, not as charity. As part of this commitment, a session on disability awareness and inclusion is held for students during Orientation Week. The Institute takes any form of discrimination against persons with disabilities, including rude or insensitive behavior, extremely seriously.
CWI also conducts various events and speaker series in association with student clubs to raise awareness among the IIMI community.
Any discrimination against Persons with Disabilities or rude/insensitive behavior is taken very seriously.
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Infrastructure
In terms of infrastructure, most of the campus is accessible, and IIMI’s Estate Office continuously works towards making the entire campus friendly towards those with disabilities. Lecture rooms and faculty blocks are wheelchair accessible. A few hostel rooms have been modified to ensure students using a wheelchair can access them easily. In case an escort needs to stay with the student, accommodation is provided for the escort. Caretakers are also assigned based on individual needs. We provide motorized wheelchairs for students with locomotor disabilities.
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Transportation
Transport facility is provided for visual and locomotor disability students for classroom, depending on the severity of their disability.
Mental Health, and Wellness
The Centre for Wellness and Inclusion (CWI) is dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment that prioritizes the well-being of all campus members, including those with disabilities and mental health concerns. Our aim is to proactively and compassionately identify, address, and support individuals’ mental health needs.
The Centre for Wellness and Inclusion (CWI) is committed to promoting mental health awareness and supporting students in managing mental health challenges. We provide information about available resources, including the Medical Centre, on-campus counsellors, and 24/7 access to YourDost online counselling services. Trained professionals, Counsellors are available on campus twice a week and offer psychological assessments and interventions to help students cope with issues like stress, anxiety, sadness, addiction, isolation, low academic performance, and absenteeism. Students are encouraged to proactively seek help and can schedule appointments with counsellors via email.
Additionally, CWI regularly shares newsletters and organizes workshops to raise awareness about mental health; students are advised to attend these sessions and stay informed. For further support, students may also reach out directly to the CWI office, and we will coordinate appropriate assistance.
The Centre for Wellness and Inclusion (CWI) also emphasizes the holistic health of students, recognizing its importance for both physical and mental health. A number of sports facilities are available on campus to encourage an active lifestyle, including a cricket stadium, tennis courts, football court, swimming pool, indoor and outdoor badminton courts, and gym. In addition, tranquil outdoor spaces such as the Spiritual Garden, Resonance (a sound garden), and walking trails provide students with opportunities for relaxation and rejuvenation. CWI encourages all students to make full use of these resources and take active steps toward improving their health.
For more information or any queries, please contact: