Using interpretative phenomenological approach, this article aims to explore the experiences of students with disabilities within the context of their higher education in India. The study aims to understand the question of inclusive education of the disabled students and discusses the challenges and opportunities these students face within universities. The findings are drawn from qualitative data collected from 24 participants using semi-structured interviews. The results revealed complex accounts on specific issues such as perceptions about inclusive education, infrastructure accessibility, physical access, institutional support networks and issues of teacher’s attitude towards learning. The findings reveal that disabled students face lot of challenges while accessing higher education in Indian universities. We also found that students with disabilities are capable of dialogue about the challenges faced by proposing suggestions/alternatives for the future development of their education. In conclusion, the findings suggest that to be inclusive, institutions need to reconsider and reframe their inclusive policies and practices and eliminate the barriers that hinder the participation and learning of students at the university level.

No abstract

No abstract

Armed conflicts create significant risks on almost every section of the society, as new forms of violence arise and the existing ones get exaggerated. In Kashmir, the long-standing conflict has resulted in the number of widows, orphans and enforced disappearance; however, little in-depth attention has been given in the literature on widows to the impact of this conflict. This present study examined the lived experiences of Kashmiri widows who had lost their husbands to the on-going conflict. Using the snowball sampling approach, 12 women were recruited for the face-to-face in-depth interviews. The findings of the study gained an in-depth understanding of the experiences of violence, deprivation, social stigma and psychological trauma, followed by their strategies for coping and struggle for justice. Widows are the worst hit victims of armed conflict and, therefore, inclusive interventions are needed to enhance the status of widows in a long run.