Lok Sabha Question No. 826 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-23
Subject: Education for Differently Abled Students
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †826 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2018

## Education for Differently Abled Students

## †826. SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to formulate a policy to ensure compulsory education for differently abled children including blind and mentally retarded children;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the funds allocated for the said scheme;
- (c) the time by which the said scheme is likely to be implemented; and
- (d) whether  there  is  any  proposal  regarding  setting  up  of  special  schools  for  physically disabled students and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

(a), (b) & (c) :As per Section 3 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, every child including children with disability, in the age group of 6-14 years, has the right to pursue free and compulsory elementary education in a neighbourhood school.

The  erstwhile  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  of  Sarva  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (SSA)  at elementary  level  and  Rashtriya  Madhyamik  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (RMSA)  at  secondary  level implemented  the  Inclusive  Education  (IE)  programmes  for  CwSN,  including  children  with visual impairment and intellectual disability (mental retardation). The Central Government has launched Samagra Shiksha - an integrated scheme for school education, from 2018-19, which addresses the educational needs of CwSN as a continuum from pre-school to senior secondary level, in an inclusive environment.

Details of funds allocated for CwSN under Inclusive Education (IE) component of SSA and IEDSS component of  RMSA during the last three years are as under:-

(Rs. in crores)

| S. No.   | Year    |   Inclusive Education component of SSA |   IEDSS component of RMSA |   Total Allocation |
|----------|---------|----------------------------------------|---------------------------|--------------------|
| 1.       | 2015-16 |                                 547.71 |                    225.6  |             773.31 |
| 2.       | 2016-17 |                                 572.77 |                    252.03 |             824.81 |
| 3.       | 2017-18 |                                 544.78 |                    323.14 |             867.91 |
|          | Total   |                                1665.26 |                    800.77 |            2466.03 |

(d):-        The  RTE  Act,  2009  promotes  inclusive  education  upto  elementary  level  where  all children must avail of education in a neighbourhood school in an inclusive setting.  There is no proposal in the Department of School Education & Literacy for setting up of special schools for physically disabled students.

As  informed  by  the  Department  of  Empowerment  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  (D/o EPwD), there is no proposal to set up special schools for students with disabilities.  However, D/o  EPwD  provides  financial  assistance  to  NGOs  which  are  running  special  schools  for children with disabilities.

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