Disability

The Centre has issued comprehensive guidelines to streamline reservation and identification of posts for persons with at least 40 per cent disabilities, mandating periodic identification of such posts and formation of committees to assess them. The guidelines also state that if a post is deemed suitable for them, all subsequent promotional posts will also be reserved for persons with disabilities. The guidelines are in line with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. The move comes after the Delhi High Court flagged inconsistencies in implementation of the the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 and criticised entities like the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) for unauthorised actions in identifying posts. The high court earlier this month observed that KVS had overstepped its authority by independently identifying posts for PwBDs and highlighted inconsistencies in the understanding of the Act among various departments. The court mandated the

Candidates with 'absolute blindness' would be prioritised over 'low vision' for specific employment opportunities, provided the disability does not affect their job performance

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to implement mandatory accessibility standards within three months, in a significant order aimed at improving access to public spaces for persons with disabilities. The order by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud comes in response to slow progress on the accessibility directives issued by the court in a judgement on December 15, 2017. The bench, also comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, underscored the necessity of "meaningful access" for disabled persons to public spaces and mandated a two-pronged approach: adapting existing infrastructures to accessibility standards, and ensuring that all new infrastructure is designed to be inclusive from the outset. The bench found that one of the rules of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act does not establish enforceable, compulsory standards, but rather, it relies on self-regulation through guidelines. While acknowledging that accessibility ..

The Delhi Police will impose restrictions in parts of Delhi on Saturday for the Run for Inclusion event being organised by Special Olympic Bharat as well as a cycling event from Saturday to Tuesday. In an advisory on Thursday, the police said the Run for Inclusion event, in which people with and without intellectual disability would participate, would be held between 7 and 10 am on Saturday. The event will start from Civil Services/NDMC Officers' Club to Panchsheel Marg via Vinay Marg-Niti Marg-Satya Marg and culminate at the Civil Services/NDMC Officers' Club, it said. Around 10,000 participants will take part in the programme, the advisory said. No traffic will be allowed on Panchsheel Marg towards Niti-Panchsheel Marg roundabout, the advisory said. Traffic will be allowed on Satya Marg towards Niti Marg-Satya Marg roundabout and Africa Avenue Marg towards Yaswant Palace, it said. Kautilya Marg and Shanti Path are the alternative routes to be followed, it said. In another advi

The Delhi High Court has sought the stand of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on a petition seeking to ensure movies released after September 14 follow the accessibility guidelines for persons with hearing and visual disabilities. Justice Sanjeev Narula issued notice on the plea by Suman Bhokray, who suffers from visual disability, and asked the authorities to file a response within four weeks. The petitioner said according to the "Guidelines for Accessibility Standards in the Public Exhibition of Feature Films in Cinema Theatres for Persons with Hearing and Visual Impairment", issued on March 15 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, feature films certified in more than one language were required to provide at least one accessibility feature each for persons with hearing and visually disabilities, like closed captions and audio descriptions, from September 14. The petitioner's counsel claimed non-compliance with a high court order with respect to the ...

The government has enforced new amendments to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) rules, which aims to streamline the application process for disability certificates and Unique Disability Identity (UDID) Cards to improve accessibility and provide more efficient services for persons with disabilities. Under the new rules, individuals with specified disabilities can apply for disability certificates and UDID cards through the UDID Portal, submitting applications to their district medical authorities or medical facilities where they are undergoing treatment. The amendments also introduce color-coded UDID cards, signifying different levels of disability: White for disabilities below 40 per cent, Yellow for 40-79 per cent and Blue for those with 80 per cent or higher disability. Additionally, the new rules ensure that medical authorities must issue disability certificates and UDID cards within three months of a diagnosis. If an application remains unresolved for over two year

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said mere existence of a benchmark disability of 40 percent does not bar a person from pursuing medical education unless there is an expert report that the candidate was incapacitated from pursuing MBBS. A bench of Justices BR Gavai, Aravind Kumar and KV Viswanathan gave detailed reasons for its September 18 order where it allowed a candidate to take admission in MBBS course after the medical board opined that he can pursue medical education without any impediment. The bench said the capacity of a candidate suffering from disability to pursue the MBBS course has to be examined by the disability assessment board. It said, "Mere existence of benchmark disability will not disqualify a candidate from being eligible for the MBBS course. The disability board assessing the disability of the candidate must positively record whether the disability of the candidate will or will not come in the way of the candidate pursuing the course." The top court further said

NGO National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled has claimed that prolonged imprisonment and inadequate medical care exacerbated pre-existing health issues of former DU professor and disability rights activist G N Saibaba and contributed to his untimely death. Saibaba died at a state-run hospital in Hyderabad due to post-operative complications on Saturday, seven months after he was acquitted in a Maoist links case. He was 54. In a statement, the non-governmental organisation underscored the challenges Saibaba faced during his incarceration and the toll it took on his health. The former professor, who had polio and was affected by multiple severe health conditions, was released just months ago after 10 years in prison on charges that the NPRD termed "false". Despite his release being hailed as a victory for justice, his freedom was tragically short-lived, it said. According to the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), Saibaba's prolonged imprisonment and ...

Disability rights activists and transgender advocates have raised alarms over the non-inclusion of provisions outlined in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPDA), 2016 and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act (TPA), 2019 in the National Medical Commission's revised Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) Curriculum. In a letter addressed to Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar, the leaders of disability and transgender communities expressed their dismay. The letter penned by Central Advisory Board on Disability Chairperson Dr Satendra Singh and Association for Transgender Health in India CEO Air Commodore (Retd.) Dr Sanjay Sharma highlighted how the new curriculum, released on August 31, 2024, fails to address critical issues impacting these marginalized groups. "The curriculum has been deemed outdated and archaic, contradicting the Supreme Court judgements and previous guidelines," stated the letter. The controversy led to

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, on paper, resembles the successful Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. But the true gap lies in implementation

More than 1,400 complaints related to accessibility have been lodged through the government's flagship Sugamya Bharat mobile application since its launch in 2021, with approximately 75 per cent of those resolved, according to official data. The Sugamya Bharat app, designed to assist people with disabilities and the elderly, allows users to report accessibility issues in public infrastructure, transportation and buildings by uploading photos. Information revealed following a Right to Information (RTI) request filed by PTI showed that 1,441 complaints were received on the app between 2021 and 2024. Of these, 1,081 were addressed after being forwarded to the authorities concerned. The RTI response revealed that 647 complaints were received in the 2021-22 period, of which 567 were resolved. The following year, 530 complaints were lodged and 391 resolved. The app recorded 264 complaints in 2023-24 while 123 were addressed. To further improve the app's functionality, the government plans

A staggering number of Indians face financial hardship due to disability, with lakhs suffering temporary or permanent limitations each year and recognising this critical gap in financial security, insurance companies are stepping forward with innovative solutions, officials said on Sunday. A 2018 report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) revealed that India, despite having only 1 per cent of the world's vehicles, accounts for 6 per cent of all road crashes. According to experts, close to 5 to 7 lakh people in the country suffer from temporary or permanent disability each year due to the high rates of accidents and crippling diseases and lose their ability to work and earn a livelihood. "The onset of disability often brings substantial healthcare expenses, making comprehensive insurance coverage crucial to prevent social and financial decline," Future Generali India Insurance, Chief Distribution Officer, Ramit Goyal said. A study titled 'Measuring the financial .

The maker of the Barbie doll has launched a blind Barbie with a white cane and a red tip, eyeglasses representing individuals with blindness or low vision

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities has been allocated a total of Rs 1,225.27 crore in the fiscal year 2024-2025, a marginal increase of 0.02 per cent from the previous year's revised estimate of Rs 1,225.01 crore. The budget emphasises the continuation and expansion of key programmes aimed at improving the lives of persons with disabilities through various schemes and projects. A significant portion of the budget is dedicated to the National Program for the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities, with Rs 615.33 crore allocated for this fiscal year, up from Rs 502 crore in the revised budget for 2023-24. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) has been allocated a total of Rs 1,225.27 crore in the fiscal year 2024-25, a marginal increase of 0.02 per cent from the previous year's revised estimate of Rs 1,225.01 crore. This programme includes Rs 315 crore for Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances, an

Disability rights activists expect a substantial financial support in the upcoming budget to address the needs of persons with disabilities to ensure their development. Arman Ali, executive director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People, stressed the need for earmarking budgets under central and state schemes across different ministries to ensure targeted funding for disability inclusion. This, he believes, would address the diverse needs of persons with disabilities and ensure adequate support across multiple sectors. Ali also highlighted the urgent need for allocations to improve accessible infrastructure, including community hospitals, primary health centres, district hospitals, and sub-district hospitals. He pointed out that without such allocations, persons with disabilities would continue to face significant barriers in accessing healthcare facilities, ultimately affecting their overall health outcomes. The activist also underscored the ...

UPSC's sanctity is in question nowadays after the case of IAS Pooja Khedkar's disability quota surfaced. Here's all about disability quota in UPSC exams

Pooja Khedkar, who secured an all-India rank of 841 in the Union Public Service Commission exam in 2023, is accused of misusing her powers as a trainee IAS officer

The government will redesign the Sugamya Bharat App to incorporate artificial intelligence features to make it a one-stop point for people with disability, said Disability Affairs Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal on Monday. The app -- a crowdsourcing mobile application -- is a means to sensitise and enhance accessibility in the built environment, transportation sector and ICT ecosystem in India. "In AI, the features we aim to add are information from annual reports, various schemes, recent district-wise data and important judgements of the Supreme Court and High Courts," Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary in the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, told PTI. For this, an agreement has been signed between the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under the chairmanship of Aggarwal with NGOs Mission Accessibility and National Association For The Blind (NAB Delhi) and research institute I-STEM. "The objective of this MoU is to deliver a fully accessible, multiling

On-demand home service provider Urban Company has updated its app to make it convenient for visually impaired persons to book services. The update works with 'Voice Over' on iOS and 'TalkBack' on Android -- commonly used screen reading software by persons with visual impairment, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. "We are focused on ensuring a seamless experience for all our customers, including visually impaired individuals. Our new app update will hopefully make it easy for them to book services on Urban Company and communicate seamlessly with their service professionals," Urban Company, Co-Founder and chief product and technology officer, Raghav Chandra said.

India's specially-abled population can actively contribute USD 1 trillion to the country's economy by 2047, according to a prominent Indian-American leader in the sector. Pranav Desai, the founder of the Voice of Specially Abled People, recently travelled to India and met top leaders of the ruling BJP in New Delhi including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP president J P Nadda; the Gujarat Chief minister in Ahmedabad to present his vision document for the cause. He also travelled to Goa for a volunteer meeting. In an interview with PTI, Desai said that with proper strategy, policy and action, India's specially-abled population can actively contribute to the nation's economic growth, ultimately achieving a USD 1 trillion contribution to the disability sector by 2047 in Viksit Bharat. India can be a leader in this sector. My proposal was well received in New Delhi, Desai said, referring to his conversations with the top leadership in India. Desai said in his meeting with ..