Parliament Question: Education to Children with Disabilities

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1258 ANSWERED ON 28.07.2025 Education to Children with Disabilities 1258. Shri Vijay Kumar Hansdak: Dr. Thirumaavalavan Tholkappiyan: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to provide education to all children with disabilities, economically weaker and SC/ST by ensuring equal opportunities to learn and succeed at various levels of education; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c) the action taken by the Government for creating inclusive environments, removing barriers and ensuring physical accessibility, digital accessibility and curriculum adjustments for diverse learners; (d) whether the Government has formulated any policy for the admission of differently- abled children and special children into a regular school; (e) whether the Government has any scheme to educate differently-abled children and special children in special schools; and (f) whether the Government has made any assessment of the steps taken so far in relation to the education provided to such students and if so, the details thereon? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) & (b): The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 provides for equal learning opportunities for all children including Socio- Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) which includes children with disabilities, economically weaker sections and SC/ST groups. Further, the Policy is in complete consonance with the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act 2016 covering all Children with Special Needs (CwSN) as identified under the Act. To ensure universal access to schooling for all from pre-primary to Class XII, the Government is implementing the Samagra Shiksha Scheme which is in alignment with the recommendations of NEP 2020, and ensures that all children have access to quality education within an equitable and inclusive classroom environment. Under the Samagra Shiksha, there is a dedicated Inclusive Education component for CwSN for promoting quality education, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBVs) residential schools from class VI to XII, for girls belonging to disadvantaged groups such asSC, ST, OBC, Minority and Below Poverty Line (BPL) set up in Educationally Backward Blocks, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas which provides residential facilities for both girls and boys belonging to SEDGs. Further, under Samagra Shiksha the educational needs of children from the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are addressed through the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA) Schemes. Under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, provision for free textbooks and uniforms are provided to children from SEDGs. Further, Section 12 of RTE Act, 2009 provides for 25% seats to be provided to EWS category of students in private-unaided schools. Further, the Government also provides merit scholarship under the National Means cum Merit Scholarship Scheme @ Rs. 12,000/- per annum, from Classes IX to XII to children whose family income is below Rs. 3.5 lacs per annum to enable children from SEDG complete their schooling upto secondary level. (c): The Government of India, through the centrally sponsored Samagra Shiksha Scheme, has taken several significant measures to create inclusive environments in schools by removing physical and digital barriers, ensuring accessibility, and enabling curriculum adjustments for diverse learners, including Children with Special Needs (CwSN). To promote physical accessibility, schools are being equipped with barrier-free infrastructure such as ramps, ramps with handrails, accessible toilets for CwSN, and provision of transport or escort facilities to support mobility and school access. In a major policy initiative, the Accessibility Code for Educational Institutions has been notified, which prescribes national standards for accessible school infrastructure, including pathways, science labs, classrooms, and ICT resources. On the digital accessibility front, inclusive content is being developed in line with the Universal Design of Learning (UDL) principles. The NCERT’s DIKSHA platform hosts a wide range of accessible e-content such as audio-visual materials in Indian Sign Language, region-specific resources in local languages, and subject- wise materials to support diverse learning needs. For students unable to attend regular schools, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) offers flexible, distance-based learning options. Further, to support curriculum adjustments, Samagra Shiksha provides Braille books, large print materials, and assistive devices for students with visual and hearing impairments. Special educators deployed at school and block levels prepare Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) tailored to each child’s specific learning needs. Examination accommodations such as extended time, use of scribes, choice of subjects, and reader assistance are also made available. In line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-2023) emphasizes multilingualism and the use of home language/mother tongue as the medium of instruction at the foundational stage, thereby supporting inclusive pedagogy and better comprehension for learners from diverse linguistic backgrounds. (d) and (e): NEP 2020 recommends enabling differently-abled children to fully participate in the regular schooling process from the Foundational Stage to higher education. To achieve this, under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, various accessible and inclusive infrastructure facilities are being developed in schools to empower and support differently-abled children in effectivelyparticipating in the learning process. These efforts are aimed at empowering and enabling differently-abled children to access quality education alongside their peers and participate effectively in all aspects of school life. (f): PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, conducted in December 2024 by the National Assessment Centre, PARAKH under NCERT, under the Ministry of Education, serves as a comprehensive assessment of student learning levels across the country. The survey evaluated baseline competencies in students of Grades 3, 6, and 9 in line with the National Education Policy 2020. Over 21.15 lakh students and 2.70 lakh teachers from more than 74,000 schools across 781 districts participated. In addition to learning outcomes, the survey collected contextual data through Teacher Questionnaires (TQ), School Questionnaires (SQ), and Pupil Questionnaires (PQ) to better understand the learning environment and challenges faced by students across the country. National, State, and District-level report cards of the same are available at https://dashboard.parakh.ncert.gov.in/en *****