Puducherry: Waiting for the approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Pondicherry University aims to start a centre for disability studies. If the university receives a green signal from the Commission then it aims to take up research work in the same area.

According to the coordinator of the department of social work, G. Ramathirtham at the university, "We have submitted the proposal some three months ago to the commission. If we receive its nod then we plan to start our research work in the area and if possible we might also offer postgraduate courses in disability studies."

The department was recently up with its social activities as it celebrated World Social Work Day and organized Ability Nite- 2010 where it released a placement brochure

Chairperson of the Centre for Disability Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Srilatha Juvva, participated in the celebration.

According to a press release, as decided by the International Federation of Social Workers, the theme of this year's World Social Work Day was 'Social work and social development.'

On a cultural night celebrated for persons with disabilities, as many as 18 non-governmental organisations participated in the celebrations.

According to a press release, in a bid to assess such persons' potential and help them become self-reliant, about 110 differently abled children from eight non-governmental organisations and special schools staged cultural programmes, including song, dance, karate and yoga demonstration.