**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1252, answered on December 8, 2025, regarding the government's initiatives to support the education of Children with Special Needs (CwSN) in India. It outlines various interventions and programmes undertaken to ensure quality and inclusive education for CwSN, aligned with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. A statement showing the state/UT wise enrollment of CwSN in government and government-aided schools in UDISE+ 2024-25 is attached as an annexure.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Government Commitment:**
* Fully committed to ensuring CwSN have access to quality and inclusive education.
* Aligned with Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
* Education falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution, with both Central and State/UT Governments playing a role.
* **Financial Assistance through Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA):**
* Financial aid is provided for Inclusive Education (IE) for the following:
* Identification and assessment camps.
* Provision of aids, appliances, and assistive devices.
* Transportation, scribe and escort allowance.
* Braille and large-print books.
* Stipends for girls with special needs.
* Sports & Exposure visits for CwSN.
* Teaching-learning materials/ Resource Package etc.
* Training and capacity building of special educators and general teachers.
* Resource support towards the salary of special educators.
* **Teacher Training and Capacity Building:**
* Continuous professional development programs through Samagra Shiksha.
* NCERT developed online teacher training modules under NISHTHA for elementary, secondary, and foundational levels.
* Five-day capacity building programme by RCI for training trainers.
* Project Approval Board (PAB) has approved ₹23.42 crore for capacity building, targeting 93,345 general teachers.
* Cross-disability training for special educators and block resource persons.
* **Inclusive Teaching Promotion:**
* CBSE promoted inclusive teaching through capacity-building programs, manuals, and a Handbook of Inclusive Education.
* NCTE integrated two credits on inclusive education in the Four-Year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP).
* **Monitoring and Early Intervention:**
* NCERT developed "PRASHAST" (Pre-Assessment Holistic Screening Tool), a mobile app for digital screening.
* **Accessible Learning Content:**
* Dedicated channel for the hearing impaired launched under PM e-Vidya telecasts learning content in Indian Sign Language (ISL).
* NCERT school curriculum, concept videos, recreational content, and live sessions are broadcast.
* Accessibility Code for Educational Institutions was notified in January 2024 and in the Rules of RPwD Act 2016 on 20th June, 2024.
* NCERT conducts a live interaction series, titled, "Teaching Learning Interventions for Inclusive Classrooms".
* NCERT textbooks converted into ISL.
* 10,500-word ISL dictionary uploaded on DIKSHA.
* **NIOS Initiatives:**
* NIOS is the first board to offer Indian Sign Language (ISL) as a first language subject.
* Tripartite MoU between NIOS, DEPwD, and NCERT to provide educational opportunities through NIOS programmes.
* 308 NGOs/Special Schools to be accredited as NIOS study centres.
* MoU with ISLRTC to share expertise for ISL standardization and high-quality educational modules.
* **CBSE Concessions:**
* CBSE provides exemptions/concessions to CwSN as defined in The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016.
* **State-wise Enrollment Data:**
* A statement showing State/UT-wise government and government-aided schools and enrolment of CwSN in these schools as per UDISE+ 2024-25, is attached as Annexure.
**Impact Analysis**
**Central and State/UT Governments:**
* **Impact:** Required to implement and support initiatives for inclusive education and fulfill the RPwD Act, 2016.
* **Action Required:** Need to allocate resources and collaborate on providing quality education for CwSN.
**Teachers and Educators:**
* **Impact:** Expected to participate in training programs, utilize new resources, and adapt teaching methods.
* **Action Required:** Engage in professional development and apply learned strategies to support CwSN.
**Children with Special Needs (CwSN):**
* **Impact:** Increased access to quality education, resources, and support.
* **Action Required:** To participate in educational programs and utilize available resources to enhance their learning and development.
**NIOS, NCERT, CBSE, RCI, ISLRTC, DoSEL:**
* **Impact:** To continue to develop materials and educational resources, implement teacher training and provide educational frameworks to further the inclusion of CwSN in education.
* **Action Required:** To implement new programmes in line with agreements.
Key Entities Referenced
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016: Legislation mandating rights for persons with disabilities, specifically regarding access to education.
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA): A scheme focused on holistic and inclusive education, providing financial assistance for interventions related to Children with Special Needs (CwSN).
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Policy document that informs the alignment of SSA's Inclusive Education component for CwSN.
Children with Special Needs (CwSN): The primary target group of the initiatives and programs discussed, referring to children with disabilities requiring special educational support.
Ministry of Education: The government ministry responsible for implementing policies and initiatives related to the education of Children with Special Needs (CwSN).
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1252
ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025
Education for Children with Special Needs (CwSN)
1252. Shri Y S Avinash Reddy:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the details of specific initiatives implemented by the Government to support education of
Children with Special Needs (CwSN) in the country;
(b) the number of Government schools that have implemented special education programmes
along with the total number of CwSN enrolled in these schools across the country State/UT
wise;
(c) the details of training and resources provided to the teachers and staff in the said schools to
support CwSN; and
(d) whether any additional measures are taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to take
to enhance the inclusion and quality of education for CwSN in the country and if so, the details
thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (d): The Government is fully committed to ensuring that Children with Special Needs
(CwSN), as mentioned in Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, have access to
quality and inclusive education. Education being in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, both
the Central and State/UT Governments play an important role in this endeavor. Under the Samagra
Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), which is in alignment with the recommendations of National Education
Policy (NEP) 2020, there is a dedicated Inclusive Education (IE) component for CwSN. Financial
assistance is provided for the following interventions namely,
Identification and assessment camps,
Provision of aids, appliances, and assistive devices,
Transportation, scribe and escort allowance,
Braille and large-print books,
Stipends for girls with special needs,
Sports & Exposure visits for CwSN
Teaching-learning materials/ Resource Package etc.
Training and capacity building of special educators and general teachers.
Resource support towards the salary of special educators.
A statement showing State/UT-wise government and government-aided schools and
enrolment of CwSN in these schools as per UDISE+ 2024-25, is at Annexure.The Government is firmly committed to strengthening inclusive education and continues
to prioritise the welfare of CwSN through a wide range of targeted interventions, policy measures,
and capacity-building initiatives.
Through Samagra Shiksha, continuous professional development programs are conducted
for teachers and educators as a part of in-service training and awareness and sensitization programs
for head teachers, parents on inclusive education. National Council of Educational Research and
Training (NCERT) has developed online teacher training modules under NISHTHA for
Elementary, Secondary and Foundational Literacy & Numeracy (FLN) levels equipping general
teachers to address diverse learning needs of CwSN.
Further, a five-day capacity building programme, developed by the Rehabilitation Council
of India (RCI), for Training of Trainers to deliver inclusive education was organized by NCERT-
NISHTHA in 2023-24, to sensitize and train teachers and other functionaries of inclusive schools
to address the learning needs of CwSN. An amount of Rs. 23.42 crore has been approved by the
Project Approval Board (PAB) under Samagra Shiksha for FY 2025-26 to various States/UTs for
the capacity-building programme targeting 93,345 general teachers. Additionally, in-service cross-
disability training to special educators and block resource persons for CwSN is also provided.
CBSE has also promoted inclusive teaching through capacity-building programs, manuals,
and a dedicated Handbook of Inclusive Education, offering guidance on curriculum adaptation,
teaching strategies and alternative assessments for CwSN.
Further, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), an autonomous body under
DoSEL, has integrated two dedicated credits on inclusive education for CwSN within the Four-
Year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) for pre-service teacher education. This is
aimed at ensuring inclusion, equal participation of CwSN in regular schools, and equipping future
teachers to adapt teaching-learning processes to address varied learning needs, including those
related to learning disabilities.
With a view to monitor CwSN and facilitate early screening and intervention, the
Government through NCERT has developed 'PRASHAST' (Pre-Assessment Holistic Screening
Tool); a mobile app to digitally screen students for possible disabilities at school level.
A dedicated channel for the hearing impaired has been launched under PM e-Vidya
initiative on 6th December, 2024. The PM e-Vidya 24*7 DTH Channel No.31 telecasts learning
content in Indian Sign Language (ISL) for the benefit of the hearing impaired. Currently, the
channel telecasts NCERT school curriculum (Classes 1-5, 6 &7), concept videos, recreational
content, live sessions with Experts, Teachers, Special Educators, Counsellors, Physiotherapists
and Clinical Psychologists on inclusive pedagogy, health and well-being of CwSN, yoga and sports
event such as the Khelo India Para games, basic courses on ISL for first responders and general
population, series on Deaf achievers etc.
Government has notified the Accessibility Code for Educational Institutions on January
10th, 2024 and the same has been notified in the Rules of RPwD Act 2016 on 20th June, 2024.
The Code examines the physical barriers and information & communication barriers of access to
school facilities for CwSN.
NCERT conducts a live interaction series, titled, “Teaching Learning Interventions for
Inclusive Classrooms”. NCERT textbooks have been converted into ISL related to curricular
content for classes I to VII, glossary words in psychology, history, geography, urdu,
economics have been produced and are being continually disseminated through DIKSHA portal
and PM eVidya DTH TV Channels, on regular basis to ensure coherent access of these e-Contents.
A 10,500 words ISL dictionary uploaded on DIKSHA in collaboration with ISLRTC.In addition, CBSE being sensitive to the needs of disabled students provides several
exemptions/concessions to CWSN as defined in The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act –
2016.
NIOS is the first board in the country to offer Indian Sign Language (ISL) as a first
language subject for deaf learners, enabling easier knowledge acquisition and comprehension
through the use of sign language. To further expand educational opportunities for persons with
disabilities, a Tripartite MoU was executed between NIOS, the Department of Empowerment of
Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), and NCERT in June 2025 to provide educational opportunities
to divyangjans through NIOS programmes (Open Basic Education, Academic & Vocational)
especially to those unable to access formal schooling. Under the MoU, 308 NGOs/Special Schools
will be accredited as NIOS study centres to conduct admissions and examinations for Divyangjan
learners as per NIOS norms. Additionally, NIOS signed an MoU with the Indian Sign Language
Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) in July 2023 to share expertise and resources for the
standardization of ISL and the development of high-quality ISL educational modules, especially
in STEM subjects, to improve learning outcomes for deaf children.
****Annexure
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) TO (D) OF THE LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1252 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025 ASKED BY SHRI Y S
AVINASH REDDY, HON’BLE MP REGARDING ‘EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS (CwSN)’
State/UT-wise government and government-aided schools and enrolment of CwSN in these schools
as per UDISE+ 2024-25
S. No.
States/UTs No. of Schools CwSN Enrolment
India 1092671 1905946
1 Andaman & Nicobar Islands 337 719
2 Andhra Pradesh 45724 74427
3 Arunachal Pradesh 2630 2702
4 Assam 46328 52565
5 Bihar 77032 172486
6 Chandigarh 125 3390
7 Chhattisgarh 49240 68307
8
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu 369 1162
9 Delhi 2919 31143
10 Goa 1338 4365
11 Gujarat 40160 55058
12 Haryana 14342 18251
13 Himachal Pradesh 14725 5622
14 Jammu & Kashmir 18786 17242
15 Jharkhand 36943 45021
16 Karnataka 55749 71229
17 Kerala 11972 108343
18 Ladakh 850 517
19 Lakshadweep 36 190
20 Madhya Pradesh 92800 133704
21 Maharashtra 89290 205410
22 Manipur 3537 3944
23 Meghalaya 11961 2505
24 Mizoram 2849 3236
25 Nagaland 1936 902
26 Odisha 54493 85101
27 Puducherry 452 1022
28 Punjab 19680 49569
29 Rajasthan 70155 58385
30 Sikkim 873 936
31 Tamil Nadu 45880 128507
32 Telangana 30636 56337
33 Tripura 4229 3122
34 Uttar Pradesh 145434 291645
35 Uttarakhand 16633 3635
36 West Bengal 82228 145247