Lok Sabha Question No. 1773 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-13
Subject: Home-Based Education System for Speciallyabled Children under NEP 2020
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Ganesh Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1773

ANSWERED ON 13.02.2023

## Home-Based Education System for Specially-abled Children under NEP 2020

## 1773. SHRI GANESH SINGH:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  audit  of  the  Home-Based  Education  (HBE) system for specially-abled children under National Education Policy, 2020;
- (b) if so, the details of the audit, State/UT-wise especially in Satna, Madhya Pradesh;
- (c) whether the Government has taken or propose to take cognizance about the challenges faced by block-level special educators under HBE; and
- (d) if so, the steps taken to address these challenges as of now?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUBHAS SARKAR)

(a) & (b) Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools are under domain of respective State and UT Governments. Department of School Education & Literacy,  Ministry  of  Education  has  launched  an  overarching  programme  for  the  school education sector - Samagra Shiksha Scheme. Under Samagra Shiksha, there is a dedicated component for Inclusive Education for Children with Special Needs (IE for CwSN), to ensure full equity and inclusion such that all children with special needs are able to fully participate in schools. The scheme aims to look at education of CwSN in a continuum from pre-school to class  XII.  The  scheme  covers  all  CwSN  with  one  or  more  disabilities  as  mentioned  in  the Schedule of disabilities of the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. The Samagra Shiksha Scheme is being implemented through State Governments/ UT Administrations  and  the  Central  Government  provides  necessary  financial  support  for  the same.

Through the Inclusive Education for CwSN component, various provisions are made available for CwSN such as identification and assessment camps at block level to identify the children with special needs and students requiring Home based Education. Funding support of  Rs.10,000/-  per  block  per  annum  is  provided  for  conducting  assessment  camps  at Elementary level and Secondary level separately. In addition, student specific interventions support  @  Rs.3,500/-  per  CwSN  per  annum  is  provided  for  aids,  appliances,  assistive devices,  teaching-learning  materials,  Braille  books,  large  print  books  for  visually  impaired children,  transportation,  escort,  scribe  allowances  as  well  as  for  home  based  education  for children  with  severe  &  multiple  disabilities  who  are  unable  to  attend  school.  Further, individualized support is also provided through resource centres at block level to cater to the unique learning needs of CwSN.

(c)  &  (d)  In  order  to  ensure  that  every  student  including  those  residing  in  rural  and educationally backward districts of the country, gets continuous access to education, a multipronged approach has been adopted by the Dept. of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education.  Government  has  launched  PM  e-Vidya  program  which  seeks  to  leverage  all available  technologies  such  as  radio,  TV,  internet  to  take  learning  to  the  doorsteps  of  the children. It has following components:

- i. e-Content for Divyang children: Special e-content for visually and hearing impaired developed  on  Digitally  Accessible  Information  System  (DAISY)  and  in  sign language on NIOS website/ YouTube.
- ii. DIKSHA- One Nation, one digital  platform-  the  nation's  digital  infrastructure  for providing  quality  e-content  for  school  education  in  States/UTs  and  QR  coded energized textbooks for all grades.
- iii. one class, one channel - telecast of explanation videos through 12 PM eVidya DTH TV channels
- iv. broadcast of educational contents through more than 400 radio stations

Where the digital facility (mobile device/DTH television) is not available, Ministry of Education has taken many initiatives like Community Radio Stations and a podcast called ShikshaVani of CBSE, Textbooks, worksheet supplied to residence of learners, community/mohalla  classes are organized. Innovation Funds under Samagra  Shiksha Abhiyan  are  used  to  set  up  mobile  school,  virtual  studios,  virtual  class  rooms  in  schools. Continuous  Learning  Plan  (CLP)  for  states/UTs  has  been  initiated  in  all  States/UTs,  preloaded  tablets  in  various  states  and  UTs  are  effectively  used  in  remote  rural  areas  where online classes are difficult.

Further,  an  Alternate  Academic  Calendar  has  been  prepared  for  learning  solutions including self-assessment for grade 1 to 12 for both children with and without device. Bridge Course Modules have also been developed for bridging the learning gaps of Out of School children studying in special training centres (STC) under the provisions of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. Also, PRAGYATA guidelines were issued to the States/UTs to facilitate continued education through various modes. The guidelines interalia include situation where internet connectivity is not available or available with very less bandwidth, resources are shared through various platforms like television, radio etc. that do not  depend on internet.  Guidelines  for  development  of e-content  for Children  with  Special Needs  were  released  in  2021.  The  guidelines  for  'Parent  Participation  in  Home-based Learning during School closure and beyond' (https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload\_files/mhrd/files/MoE\_Home\_Learning\_Guidelin es.pdf) were released in 2021.

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