Lok Sabha Question No. 4241 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-19
Subject: National Institute for the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri Mahendra Singh Solanky, Shri Arun Govil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-4241

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 19/08/2025

## National Institute for the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities

4241.   Shri Arun Govil: Shri Mahendra Singh Solanky:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT  be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the total number of National Institutes for the Persons with Disabilities being run by the Ministry for the welfare of PwDs;
- (b) whether there is any proposal to increase the financial assistance for enhancing the capacity of these institutes, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether there has been a substantial increase in the number of courses and students in these institutes since 2014, if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  implemented  any  specific  measures  to  promote  inclusive education  for  children  with  disabilities  in  the  Dewas-Shajapur  Constituency,  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (e)  the  total  number  of  schools  in  the  constituency  that  are  disability-friendly  in  terms  of infrastructure, teaching materials, and trained staff; and
- (f)  whether  there  is  a  mechanism  to  ensure  that  Children  with  Special  Needs  (CwSN)  are provided assistive devices, special educators and transport facilities?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI B.L. VERMA)

- (a)  There are nine National Institutes being run by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities for the welfare of Persons with Disabilities. The details are at Annexure.

(b)  Financial assistance to National Institutes under the Department is granted on yearly basis as per budgetary requirements furnished by the Institutes and allocation to this Department.

(c) The number of courses and students in the National Institutes has been significantly increased between 2014-15 and 2024-25. The number of courses offered by the National Institutes under DEPwD rose from 94 to 143, while student enrolment grew from 2,287 to 3,511.

(d)  to  (f)  The  Rights  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  (RPwD)  Act,  2016  (Section  16  and  17) mandates  inclusive  education  and  accessible  transport  for  students  with  disabilities  through trained special educators, individualized support, reasonable accommodations in schools, provide transportation facilities to the children with disabilities and also the attendant of the children with disabilities  having  high  support  needs,  conduct  survey  of  school  going  children  in  every  five years,  to  train  professionals  and  staff  to  support  inclusive  education  at  all  levels  of  school education,  promote  accessible  learning's -ensuring  full participation  and  completion  of education for children with disabilities throughout the country including in the Dewas-Shajapur Constituency.

The Department is also implementing the Scheme of 'Assistance to Persons with Disabilities for Purchase/Fitting  of  Aids  and  Appliances  (ADIP  Scheme)'  under  which  funds  are  released  to various  Implementing  Agencies  to  assist  the  eligible  persons  with  disabilities  (Divyangjan)  in procuring  durable,  sophisticated  and  scientifically  manufactured,  modern,  standard  aids  and appliances that can promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation by reducing the effects of disabilities and enhancing their economic potential throughout the country.

In  addition,  special  education  services  are  delivered  in  the  National  Institutes  by  trained educators.

To  further  enhance  accessibility,  National  Institutes  under  the  Department  arranges  transport facilities and travel support, including pickup/drop services and travel concessions, ensuring safe and convenient access to the institutes.

The  Central  Board  of  Secondary  Education  (CBSE)  under  the  Ministry  of  Education,  in alignment  with  the  Rights  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  (RPwD)  Act,  2016,  also  mandates inclusive practices across affiliated schools including those situated in  Dewas-Shajapur constituency.  62  schools  situated  in  Dewas  and  Shajapur  districts  of  Madhya  Pradesh  are affiliated to CBSE. The Board has taken following measures to ensure disabled friendly learning environment in its affiliated schools:

- (i) Mandated infrastructural provisions such as ramps, auditory signals, and accessible toilets under its Affiliation Bye-Laws.
- (ii) Appointment  of  Special  Educators  in  schools  to  support  Children  with  Special  Needs (CwSN).
- (iii)Examination concessions such as additional time, use of scribes, exemption from second language, and provision of screen reading software.
- (iv) Guidelines and an accessibility code for institutions to remove physical and communication barriers.
- (v) Promoted  inclusive teaching through capacity-building  programs  and  manuals  on inclusive practices.
- (vi) A handbook of Inclusive Education to help schools create inclusive learning environments.

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## ANNEXURE

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.4241 for answer on 19.08.2025

1. National  Institute  for  the  Empowerment  of  Persons  with  Visual  Disabilities  (NIEPVD), Dehradun
2. Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities (AYJNISHD), Mumbai
3. National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID), Secunderabad
4. National  Institute  for  Empowerment  of  Persons  with  Multiple  Disabilities  (NIEPMD), Chennai
5. Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya National Institute for Persons with Physical Disabilities (PDUNIPPD) , New Delhi
6. Swami Vivekanand National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR) , Cuttack
7. National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities (NILD), Kolkata
8. Indian Sign Language Research & Training Centre (ISLRTC), New Delhi
9. National Institute of Mental Health and Rehabilitation (NIMHR), Sehore

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