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Campus connect: State’s only college for deaf and dumb is signing a new chapter in annals of education history
Ranganathan College of Arts, Commerce in Tingrenagar, Vishrantwadi, is the only one of its kind in the state and evolved from the Sadguru Saibaba Seva Trust’s pre-primary school for deaf and dumb students, which began in 1993
Against all odds, and overcoming a plethora of challenges, the C R Ranganathan College of Arts and Commerce for deaf and dumb students in the state, opened its doors for admission to senior college (graduation) last year.
The college in Tingrenagar, Vishrantwadi, is the only one of its kind in the state and evolved from the Sadguru Saibaba Seva Trust’s pre-primary school for deaf and dumb students, which began in 1993.
The co-ed campus, which houses 500 deaf and dumb students from across the state studying across the board, from primary school to senior college, also houses a hostel for students up to the age of 18.
Vasant Patole, a retired class one state government officer is the driving force behind the institute’s quest for growth and excellence.
Recalling the start of the institution, and who the late C R Ranganathan was, Patole says. “When I was working as an accounts officer in one of the departments, Rangathan was my boss and our friendship started. He died at the early age of 42 due to kidney failure and at the same time I was transferred to the department of social welfare, where I worked with schools for disabled persons. My brother had a daughter born who was also deaf and dumb. All these things lead me to start a school for deaf and dumb children. With the support of my family, in which my daughter Swati Sadakale and her husband Prakash Sadakale got completelyinvolved, we are here today,” said Patole.
Patole began with the pre-primary school and his team had to face many hurdles getting permissions, and then finding trained faculty to teach deaf and dumb students and setting up the syllabus for students incorporating the latest techniques.
“In 2014, we started our junior college for Arts and Commerce. It was, and is, the only college in the state for deaf and dumb students. Then parents began asking us what about after Class 12. We started working on getting permission for a senior college, but there was no syllabus available in sign language for these students. Our faculties prepared an entire syllabus for Arts and Commerce students under the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and finally, in 2018, we got permission and affiliation to SPPU to start the senior college,” says Patole.
Prof Swati, who completed her Masters degree in education with special education in sign languages, said, “It’s very difficult to run a deaf and dumb school and college together, as there are many challenges. We are not able to get skilled trained faculty to teach to these students in sign language and on the other hand the number of students is increasing every year. The hostel facility has its own limitations, so many students coming for admissions till Class 10 have to turn back. Our students are good in sports, cultural activities, in computers and every field, but to get proper training in their language is a big task for us. Also rehabilitation and giving them job opportunities after completion of graduation is the area we are working on.”
The college is today affiliated with the Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL) and runs a Maharashtra State Certificate in Information Technology (MS-CIT) course that is taught in sign language.
“To give students emotional help, a counselling centre was started and we also have an ‘Apang Adhar Pansanstha’, which helps financially rehabilitate deaf and dumb youths. Our future plan is to start a polytechnic college and get a bigger campus for all our educational institutes to come under one roof,” said Patole.
By the numbers
Class 10 - 190 students
College - 200 students (junior and senior)
Class 10 passing percentage, till date - 100 per cent
Class 12 passing percentage, till date - 100 per cent
