FET’S LOCUS
DESIGNING FOR NEURODIVERSITY IN INDIAN HIGHER EDUCATION
KEYWORD
Abhigeet MK, Vaishnavi Shetye, Namrata Gogoi, Adarsh BS & Neha Mandlik
National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad — vaishnavi.shetye@nid.edu
ABSTRACT
The “FET’S LOCUS” system map explores the lived experiences of neurodivergent students within Indian higher education systems. The project emerges from the recognition that most academic structures continue to prioritise standardisation, uniform assessment methods, and rigid participation models designed around an “ideal” learner. Students with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism spectrum conditions, and sensory sensitivities are therefore often required to adapt themselves to institutional systems rather than institutions adapting to diverse cognitive needs. This creates a persistent gap between lived cognitive diversity and institutional expectations of uniform performance, participation, and evaluation.
#neurodivergence #inclusivity
#educational policy #students
CREATIVE PROCESS
The project evolved through iterative cycles of research, mapping, synthesis, and prototyping. System-mapping functioned as a systems-thinking tool to visualise interactions between stakeholders, environments, and institutional structures. It supported the identification of hidden dependencies, breakdown points, and emotional friction within educational ecosystems that are often not visible in conventional research methods.
IMPLICATIONS AND NEXT STEPS
The mapping process revealed that neurodivergent exclusion is not isolated but systemic and recurring across educational contexts. Visualisation of these patterns shifted the understanding of disability from an individual challenge to a design condition embedded within institutional systems. Rather than locating difficulty within students, the project reframed it as a mismatch between cognitive diversity and rigid institutional structures.
References
Arora, N. K., et al. (2018). Neurodevelopmental disorders in Indian children. Indian Pediatrics Journal. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30040859/
CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning guidelines v2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org
Neurodiversity Directory. (2024). Neurodiversity statistics. https://neurodiversity.directory/neurodiversity-statistics/
Public Health Policy Journal. (2024). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism trend projections.