Lok Sabha Question No. 116 (STARRED), answered on 2023-12-11
Subject: Education of Children having Neuro-Disorder
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Jayanta Kumar Roy, Kirit Premjibhai Solanki

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.116 ANSWERED ON 11.12.2023

## EDUCATION OF CHILDREN HAVING NEURO-DISORDER

*116. DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

DR. (PROF.) KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government to support children with neuro-disorders like ASD and ADHD in obtaining a good education and also details of plans to enhance their education;
- (b) whether the Government is aware that there is lack of awareness of these disorders which can lead to neglecting a child's needs;
- (c) if so, the corrective steps being taken by the Government in this regard;
- (d) whether the Government organizes campaigns to spread awareness about these disorders and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government proposes to launch any comprehensive policy to ensure mental well being of students in the schools and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) whether the Government has any mechanism to monitor counselors in the Government and private schools in the country and if so, the current status thereof; and
- (g) whether it is mandatory for the Public and Private educational institutes to appoint counselor for ensuring the mental well being of the enrolled students and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a) to (g): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (A)  TO  (G)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA  ADMITTED  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  116  FOR  REPLY  ON  11.12.2023 ASKED  BY  HON'BLE  MP  DR.  JAYANTA  KUMAR  ROY  AND  HON'BLE  MP  DR. (PROF.) KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI REGARDING 'EDUCATION OF CHILDREN HAVING NEURO-DISORDER'.

(a) to (g) Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools are under the domain of respective State and UT Governments. State and UT Governments are the appropriate Governments under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

The  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Samagra  Shiksha  launched  in  2018-19,  has dedicated Inclusive Education component for the education of Children with Special Needs (IE for  CwSN) covering 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 including children with neuro-disorders like cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder and disability caused due to chronic neurological conditions. It aims to look at education of CwSN in a continuum from PrePrimary to Class XII studying in Government, Government-aided and local body schools.

Through  this  component,  CwSN  are  provided  support  via  specific  student  oriented interventions  such  as  identification  and  assessment  camps,  provision  of  aids,  appliances  and assistive  devices,  transportation,  scribe  and  escort  allowance  support,  Braille  books  and  large print  books  for  children  with  visual  impairment,  stipend  for  girls  with  special  needs  and teaching-learning  materials  etc.  in  order  to  appropriately  address  their  unique  educational requirements in general schools. Capacity building of general teachers and special educators on meeting  learning  needs  to  provide  quality  education  to  children  with  disabilities  and  improve their  learning  outcomes,  are  also  covered.    Further,  individualized  support  is  also  provided through  therapeutic  interventions  at  the  block  level. There  is  also  provision  for  Home  Based Education for children with severe multiple disabilities etc. in order to appropriately address the unique educational requirements of CWSN in inclusive schools.

The good education, particularly for children with neuro-disorders like ASD and ADHD starts with the screening at the school, which in turn may lead to identification and certification of the disability making them eligible for the provisions under inclusive education component of Samagra  Shiksha  to  support  their  learning  in  the  nearby  inclusive  school.  The  screening  of students  with  special  needs  including  children  with  ASD  and  SLD  is  currently  being  done through the PRASHAST App.

NCERT is conducting a live interaction series on PMeVIDYA DTH TV Channels, titled, 'Teaching  Learning  Interventions  for  Inclusive  Classrooms'.  Each  episode  is  of  half  hour duration,  focusing  on  promoting  inclusive  pedagogy  practices,  by  considering  one  class,  one subject  and  one-chapter  from  textbooks,  with  mandatory  ISL  interpreter.  An  archive  of  632 sessions available on NCERT official youtube channel.

(https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUgLcpnv1YidgxeXsFZH045t8584x4Asx).

According to Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) affiliation bye-laws and being sensitive to the needs of disabled students, CBSE provides several exemptions/concessions to  CWSN  as  defined  in  The  Rights  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  Act  -  2016  such  as  issuing authority of Medical Certificate, facility of Scribe and compensatory time, appointment of Scribe and  related  instructions,  fee  and  special  exemptions  for  class  X  like  exemption  from  third language,  flexibility  in  choosing  subjects,  alternate  questions  /Separate  Question  and  special exemptions  for  class  XII  like  flexibility  in  choosing  subjects,  separate  question  paper  and questions in lieu of practical component.

According  to  section  2.4.12  of  Affiliation  Bye-laws  of  CBSE,  every  Secondary  and Senior Secondary school shall appoint a person on full time basis for performing the duties of Counsellor and Wellness Teacher.

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