Satish Chander Dhawan Government College has introduced KIBO device, an AI-powered assistive education platform designed for visually impaired students, becoming the only college in Ludhiana to offer the facility after the main campus of Panjab University.
Commonly known as ‘knowledge in a box’, the device can translate, digitise and convert printed, handwritten and digital documents into audio lessons in more than 60 languages, enabling visually impaired students to access educational material independently.
College principal Gursharnjit Singh Sandhu said the facility was inaugurated recently by MLA Kulwant Singh Sidhu and a dedicated section for the device has been created in the college library. He said the institution currently has five visually impaired students and the technology would significantly improve their access to study material. “Students can place books or documents under the device and the content is instantly converted into audio format, allowing them to study independently,” he said.
The initiative comes nearly two months after social activist and college alumnus Brij Bhushan Goyal highlighted the lack of accessible educational infrastructure for visually impaired students in colleges across Punjab.
Goyal had alleged that despite provisions under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, several institutions continued to function without essential facilities such as Braille books, audio-based study material and screen-reader compatible content.
An RTI filed with Panjab University had also revealed that while certain facilities were available on the university’s main campus, there was no effective mechanism to monitor compliance among affiliated colleges.
The Directorate of Public Instruction (higher education), according to Goyal, had stated that such requirements had not been formally raised by institutions earlier.
Goyal said the project was implemented with support from the Punjab Red Cross Society, headed by Shivdular Singh Dhillon, which sanctioned funds following a request by the college alumni association.
He also acknowledged financial support extended by PK Sharma and said a separate fund had now been created to support visually impaired students.
According to Goyal, a dedicated WhatsApp group has also been formed in coordination with the college’s disability cell to facilitate communication and assistance for visually impaired students.