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Journalism of Courage
Shorya Sood, a third-year PhD scholar who uses a wheelchair at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), has opened up about the daily challenges he faces due to a lack of accessible facilities on campus. In a LinkedIn post that has since gone viral, Sood shared his ongoing struggle with the condition of disabled-friendly washrooms at the School of Social Sciences-II building.
“There is no other washroom on the ground floor for PwD students,” he wrote, highlighting how the situation forces him to seek facilities in other buildings, often inaccessible after when lifts are turned off.
“This is causing a great deal of inconvenience to me and is affecting my ability to concentrate on academics,” he noted.
“I may have to stop coming to the JNU campus if this problem continues to persist. I am very sad and hurt to see that the basic amenities like washrooms are not provided to PWD students. It has affected my peace of mind.”
Sood also shared photos of official complaints he had filed, underscoring how his pleas had gone unheeded. In his post, he called upon student bodies and the JNU Students’ Union to take a stronger stand. “I request all respective student organisations and the JNUSU to please take up this issue with the JNU administration,” he appealed.
He added, “This is an extremely important issue. I hope the issues faced by persons with disabilities on the JNU campus are treated the same way as other issues on the JNU campus.”
The post sparked widespread outrage on social media. “I’m truly sorry to hear about your experience, Shorya. Basic accessibility is a fundamental right, and it’s disheartening that this issue remains unresolved. I suggest raising this concern through a formal collective petition or reaching out to disability rights groups for stronger support. Wishing you strength and hoping for prompt action,” a social activist commented.
Another person said, “I have visited the campus last year. The infrastructure of the institute specially hostels are in very poor conditon (eg. ceiling concrete falling off frequently exposing the decayed reinforcements & is a potential threat to student safety). Washrooms too remain unchecked. JNU has a rich heritage and is better known to produce great leaders. But I wonder what the Student Council there has been doing to solve the problems of the “actual” people residing in the campus? Hope things change.”
A third person asked, “It is sad to learn, Shourya, that in a prestigious institution like JNU this is the case. Have you tried reaching out to the student unions?” to which Sood replied, “Thank you so much for your support. Yeah I reached out but it was of no use.”
As his story continues to gain traction online, many are urging the university administration to act immediately–not just to fix a washroom, but to uphold the dignity and rights of its disabled students.
