Parliament Question: Education and rehabilitation services for specific disabilities

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE& EMPOWERMENT DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (DIVYANGJAN) RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 277 ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026 EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR SPECIFIC DISABILITIES *277. DR. M THAMBIDURAI: Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether special education and rehabilitation services are being provided to persons with visual and hearing impairments through the National Institutes functioning under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD); (b) if so, the details thereof and the measures taken by Government for expansion, modernization and upgradation of such services; (c) whether similar specialized education and rehabilitation services are being provided through dedicated National Institutes catering to other major categories of disabilities; (d) if so, the details of such institutes and the nature of services offered by them; and (e) the total number of beneficiaries currently availing education and rehabilitation services from these National Institutes? ANSWER MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR) (a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 277 FOR 18th March 2026 (a) & (b): National Institutes (NIs) under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) provide special education, vocational training, skill development, early identification and intervention, therapeutic and rehabilitation services, audiology and speech therapy, Braille literacy, assistive device support services to persons with visual and hearing disabilities. These services are provided through institutions such as National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD), Dehradun, the Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities (Divyangjan) [AYJNISHD(D)], Mumbai and the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (Divyangjan) [NIEPMD (D)], Chennai. The Government has undertaken various measures for expansion, modernization and upgradation of services, including strengthening infrastructure, establishing Regional Chapters and Composite Regional Centres, offering new skill training programmes, adopting modern assistive technologies, digitization of learning materials, and expanding outreach programmes for early detection and intervention. These initiatives include establishment of smart classes, development of accessible digital learning resources, integration of AI-based assistive technologies, strengthening of assistive technology laboratories, and promotion of ICT-based accessible services to support inclusive education and rehabilitation. Two (02) new National Institutes have been established during last ten (10) years, increasing the total number of National Institutes to nine. The numbers of Composite Regional Centres, an extended arm of the National Institutes which provide education and rehabilitation services to all types of disabilities have also been increased from eight (08) to thirty (30) during the last ten (10) years. (c) & (d): Specialized education and rehabilitation services are provided through the other National Institutes, under the Department catering to various categories of disabilities. National Institutes & their Composite Regional Centres, all taking together, have been geared to cater to all twenty one (21) Notified Disabilities. These other National Institutes include: i. National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID), Secunderabad – providing services related to intellectual disabilities including special education, early intervention, skill training and rehabilitation. ii. Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), New Delhi – to develop, promote and standardize Indian Sign Language (ISL). iii. National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities (NILD), Divyangjan, Kolkata – providing services relating to locomotor disabilities including orthopaedic rehabilitation, physiotherapy, prosthetics and orthotics training. iv. National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR), Sehore- providing multidisciplinary mental health rehabilitation services. v. Swami Vivekanand National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR), Cuttack – providing rehabilitation services, training and research in the field of locomotor disabilities and blood disorders.vi. Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya National Institute for Persons with Physical Disabilities (PDUNIPPD), New Delhi – providing rehabilitation, therapy, training and assistive technology services for persons with physical disabilities. These National Institutes also provide other services such as special education, skill training, therapeutic interventions, early intervention programmes, production and distribution of assistive devices, and training of rehabilitation professionals in their areas. (e): A total of 12,65,764 beneficiaries have been provided with rehabilitation services by all National Institutes under the Department during current financial year (till date). The Institute- wise details of student intake for courses conducted and the rehabilitation services provided are given at Annexure. **********Annexure Annexure referred to in reply to part (e) of the Rajya Sabha Starred Question No. 277 raised by Dr. M. Thambidurai regarding “Education and rehabilitation services for specific disabilities” Institute-wise details of student intake for courses conducted by the National Institutes and the rehabilitation services provided by them during the year 2025–26 (as on date): S. Name NIs students Rehabilitation No. in-take Services provided 1. National Institute for the Empowerment of 776 110777 Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD), Dehradun 2. Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and 763 116698 Hearing Disabilities (AYJNISHD), Mumbai 3. National Institute for the Empowerment of 1076 227910 Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID), Secunderabad 4. National Institute for Empowerment of Persons 301 235329 with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD), Chennai 5. Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya National Institute for 258 79375 Persons with Physical Disabilities (PDUNIPPD) , New Delhi 6. Swami Vivekanand National Institute of 391 443385 Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR), Cuttak 7. National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities 191 45891 (NILD), Kolkata 8. Indian Sign Language Research & Training 146 0 Centre (ISLRTC), New Delhi 9. National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation 187 6399 (NIMHR), Sehore Total 4089 12,65,764 *ISLTRC does not provide rehabilitation services. **********