Shimla, June 4 (IANS): The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday directed the three state-run universities to provide free education to students with more than 40 percent disability and enhanced the scholarship for disabled students in schools and colleges.

Taking cognisance of a letter written by Shimla-based NGO Umang Foundation's honorary chairman Ajai Srivastava, a division bench of Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan gave the order.

The court observed: "The children with special needs having more than 40 percent disability studying in Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla, Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Solan and C.S.K. Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya in Palampur to provide free education as per the policy norms adopted by the state government."

The court also directed the state to increase the scholarship for the visually impaired and the deaf and dumb students in school, colleges and professional colleges.

The bench also asked the state to enact a law within six months for providing free and compulsory education to children with special needs till the university level and professional courses in all the educational institutions, including the universities.

The court, which reserved the judgment on May 11, also awarded Rs.100,000 as costs to Umang Foundation and said the amount would be used for the welfare of special children.

Quoting the World Health Organisation report of 2012, the judges said 15 million visually impaired people in India.

"It's a wake-up call for all of us to come together to take steps to recognise their basic human rights to live with dignity," said the bench.