One of the primary objectives of the Institute is to conduct, sponsor, co-ordinate and/or subsidise research into various dimensions of education, rehabilitation and empowerment of the visually impaired persons. In accordance with its primary objective, the Institute worked on some 125 research projects over last 3 decades.115 projects have been completed. The research endeavours of the Institute have not only stimulated debate on a number of policy issues crucial for the integration of visually impaired persons in the national mainstream but have significantly contributed to the evolution and implementation of a number of developmental programmes and schemes. Under the R&D initiatives, 15 different devices have been designed and developed providing greater freedom of participation to the visually impaired persons in various walks of life. The projects undertaken so far can be divided in four main categories thematically and that is education, employment, rehabilitation and tools for evaluation and independent living. Over the year, the Institute has emerged as an expert body in the field of Braille development. The R&D initiatives of this Unit are recognised far and wide.
In order to provide the desired orientation to the Institute’s research endeavours a Research Advisory Committee has been set up under the chairmanship of Sh. A.K. Mittal, President, All India Confederation of the Blind, New Delhi. Its members are drawn from a broad spectrum of R&D Institutions, leading Universities and from voluntary agencies. At present our Research Committee is served by Prof. S.R. Mittal, Central Institute of Education, Delhi University, Delhi, Prof. Anita Julka, National Council of Educational Research & Training, New Delhi, Prof. Leena Kashyap, School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Dr. R. Shah, Scientist ‘G’, Advisor, Dept. of Science & Technology, New Delhi , Dr. M.N.G. Mani, Secretary General, ICEVI Secretariat, Coimbatore, T.N and Dr. Sushil Kumar Gupta, Department of Special Education, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra.
The main functions of the Committee are:
- To lay down priority areas for the Institute’s R&D activities.
- To consider new research projects to be taken up by the Institute and to recommend the same for the Institute’s Executive Council.
- To undertake a mid-term review of the progress of the selected projects and facilitate mid-course correction.
- To ensure that the research findings directly contribute to the improvement of Institute’s activities, for instance, HRD, education, vocational training, book production and manufacture of appliances etc.
- To help the Institute undertake collaborative research and establish linkages with mainstream and specialized agencies and organizations engaged in meaningful research work.
- To provide, wherever required, the NGO sector necessary guidance and technical support to undertake and execute need based research activities.
Research and Development Project 2010-11 to 2014-15 (Last five years) (97 kb)
Research and Development Project 2015-16 (14 Mb)
Contact Number: 0135-2104813 (MBA)