The National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (NIVH) of Dehradun is the most important center in the country for the education and training of the visually handicapped.




The National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (NIVH) at Dehradun is an autonomous body in the field of Education and Rehabilitation of the Visually Handicapped in India under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.

Believe it or not .It is one of the largest institute not only in India but in Asia too.

The institute is spread across 43 acres on the Mussoorie-Dehradun Highway.

Brief History:

The National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (NIVH) in Dehradun originated as St. Dunstan's hostel for the war-blinded in 1943. The Government of India took over the building on January 1, 1950 and renamed it as the 'Training Center for the Adult Blind' (Men).

Later, the activities of the center in the field of Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind became extensive and these were united under the umbrella of the National Center for the Blind in 1967.

1979 was an important year in the growth and development of beneficial services for the blind since the National Center for the Blind was elevated to the status of 'National Institute for the Visually Handicapped'.

In 1982 the institute was granted autonomy by the Ministry of Welfare.

Courses Offered :

B.M.Sc (Bachelor of Mobility Science ) 1 Year
Some of the other programs are listed below:

• Vocational Training
• Manpower Development
• Research and Development
• Crisis Management including therapeutic assistance
• Placement and employment
• Production of reading material
• Manufacture of aids and appliances, and
• Library and Information Services.
• Education for the Visually Handicapped
• The Institute has a Model School for the Visually Handicapped which provides education to blind, partially sighted and low-vision children from Nursery to Class X. The blind children are taught through Braille and tactile sensation whereas the partially sighted and low vision children make use of magnifying devices to read the printed text.

The students are provided with free board, lodging, clothing, tuition and other facilities besides monthly pocket money.

Address :

National Institute for the Visually Handicapped,
116 Rajpur Road,
Dehradun - 248001,
Uttarakhand

Phone No: +91-0135-27444979
Fax No : +91-0135- 2748147


Email Id : nivh@sancharnet.in
website : www.nivh.org