West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata has launched the Prof (Dr) Shamnad Basheer Accessibility Lab in collaboration with Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access (IDIA), with an intent to achieve inclusivity and accessibility in law schools.

This path breaking initiative was announced in September last year and was inaugurated by WBNUJS Vice-Chancellor Prof NK Chakrabarti on February 10, 2020.

Being a first of its kind, the Lab aims to provide an enabling environment for specially abled students.

The Lab will be equipped with state-of-the-art devices like the Index Basic-D V5 Braille Embosser, Braille Paper Tractor Feed, and the Duxbury Braille Translator, all funded by IDIA.

IDIA had previously conducted the IDIA-SPND Disabilities Conference (2018) for employers in the legal sector on creating inclusive work spaces.

IDIA focuses on breaking the growing elitism in top law schools and in the legal profession, and building a more inclusive India.

Prof Basheer, who tragically passed away in August last year, had always been a champion of inclusive education. This initiative by the IDIA team takes his idea of equal opportunity for all one step further. Prof. Basheer also was a faculty at WBNUJS.