Children Home for Blind Boys – Home

About us: ~

History of this institute: ~

The school came into force on 20th September, 1968, Shri. Sunil Kr. Pal was the first Governing-Officer of the school. He started educating with only five students on the onset. Practically education started smoothly from January 1970 onwards.

Shri. Debabrata Bandyopadhyay, the then Hon’ble Minister of Jail & Social Welfare of the State Government officially inaugurated the students’ hostel/ residential campus on 5th July, 1986. He developed an expert-committee for the upliftment of the school. As prescribed by that committee, the post of the Governing Officer was abolished; instead the post of Principal was created who was also declared as the Head of the Office and Drawing & Disbursing Officer, as well. Posts for five specialised teachers, two craft-teachers, one music-teacher, two posts of Inspectors on each of Livestock & Farm and four additional staff were sanctioned in terms of the G.O. No. 7072-SW Dated: 19.5.1988. Arrangements for a total of hundred (75) residential students were also sanctioned in the same of G.O.

Shri. Sadhan Chandra Das was appointed as the first Principal of this school on 1st November 1989. At present, Shri. Anindya Narayan Chaudhuri has been assigned to act as the principal of the institute. Chronological list of Superintendents and Principals governing this institute are given below.

This prosperous school now stands head-high as the only biggest residential government institute for the blind of not only in the district of Cooch Behar but in the entire State amidst various hurdles. This is the credit behind this success goes to the teachers-employees and students of the school. Many generous citizens, Red Cross, Lions Club, different social organisations, State Social Welfare Deptt., Directorate of Child Rights and Trafficking, Health Department, Uttarbanga Khetriya Gramin Bank, Airport Authority of India, Cooch Behar Airport, Indian Army (Assam Regiment), District Administration and above all, people in general, have cared for establishing this institute by extending their kind efforts and suggestions. For these, overwhelm kindness we owe our sincere gratitude to them all.

Profile – a brief statement about this institute: ~

At present, 26 visually challenged students are getting residential education facilities without sparing any cost in terms of (i) J. J. Act, 2015, (ii) Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 and (iii) The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act, 2009. Separate hostel facilities with appropriate staff for imparting education to girls have been thought upon. There are no facilities for girl-students at the moment. Till date among the students admitted to this school, apart from Cooch Behar there are students from other districts of this State and from neighbouring State as well.

Students/inmates get admitted to this Home subject to observing following criteria:

1. Submission of Certificate from vision-expert/doctor regarding blindness.
2. Family monthly income statement as per govt. rules in specified space.
3. The student should not bear any past/prolong critical disease.

In 2006, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) proposed the adoption of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS). In 2009, the central government begun the extensive task of providing children with a protection and safe environment to develop and flourish. The purpose of the scheme is to provide for children in difficult circumstances, as well as to reduce the risks and vulnerabilities of the children have in various situations and actions that lead to abuse, neglect, exploitation, abandonment and separation of children.

The specific objectives of the scheme are:

• To institutionalize essential services and strengthen structures.
• To enhance capacities at all systems and persons involved in service delivery.
• To create database and knowledge base for child protection services.
• To strengthen child protection at family and community level.
• To coordinate and network with government institutions and non-government institutions to ensure effective implementation of the scheme.
• To raise public awareness about child rights, child vulnerability and child protection services.

Consequently, Department, in its Notification No. 418-SW Dated: 28.01.2016 brought this institution under the ambit of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and started treating it as a Child Care Institution (CCI) for which nomenclature was also changed from “Government School For The Blind, Cooch Behar” to “Children Home For Blind Boys, Cooch Behar” extending all benefits of Integrated Child Protection Scheme to this Home, without hampering the activities of the school related activities. One of the mention-worthy benefits was to engage nine personnel in different posts sanctioned under the purview of ICPS on contractual basis who started rendering their services from August 2017. The Home was also registered under the J. J. Act, 2000. Subsequently, the Home, vide Notification No. 718 – SW Dated: 13.02.2018, the registration was extended till 27.01.2023 with the sanctioned strength of 50 visually impaired boys in terms of the section 41(1) of J. J. Act, 2015.

Therefore, for admission and leave of the children/ inmates in this Home, in terms of the J. J. Act, 2015, all authorities confer on the Child Welfare Committee of the district.

Shri. Bidur Chandra Roy is the present Principal of the Children Home for Blind Boys, Cooch Behar.

For contacting this institute: ~

Contact Address:

Children Home for Blind Boys
Neelkuthi, I.T.I. More,
Airport Road (beside DM’s Bunglow)
P.O. & Dist. – Cooch Behar
Pin – 736101, West Bengal

Phone nos.:

Office: (03582) 222602
Mobile (Principal): 9614417024

E-mail:

chbb-cob-wb[at]gov.in