Lok Sabha Question No. 247 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-05
Subject: Socio Income Data
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Y. S. Avinash Reddy, Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy, Manne Srinivas Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 247

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 05.12.2023

## SOCIO INCOME DATA

## 247. SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY: SHRI KOMATI REDDY VENKAT REDDY: SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  any  data  supposed  to  influence  the  education  sector  to  introduce special educators and special requirements for PwDs and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the fate of above objectives is now in limbo with the Government choosing not to publish whatever data were collected  in  the fields  of  personal  and  family  income  (spouse  and  father),  their employment, poverty, social and educational status and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  data  collected  is  inadequate  as  only  15  percent  of  those  registered  have  filled  their marital status and 40 percent of them filled their income status and the concerned department does not have the means to verify the data in this regard; and

(d) if so, the details and the present status thereof along with corrective steps taken till now along with the results yielded therefrom, State-wise?

## ANSWER

## (MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT)

## SUSHRI PRATIMA BHOUMIK

(a) No Sir. However, as per the data made available by the Department of School Education and Literacy,  the  Number  of  Children  with  special  needs  (CWSN)  students  are  22,66,794  (PrePrimary  to Higher Secondary)  and  the  number  of  teachers  who  possess  the  professional qualification  of  Special  Educator  are  1,33,097.  In  addition,  the  percentage  of  schools  with CWSN  toilets  are  27%,  percentage  of  schools  having  Ramps  are  77.8%  and  percentage  of schools with having ramps with handrails are 49.7%. Moreover, this Department relies on the figures  of  Census  2011  according  to  which  there  are  2,68,14,994  persons  with  disabilities (PwDs)  in  the  country.  In  addition,  this  Department  has  enacted  the  Rights  of  Persons  with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, which came into force on 19.04.2017. Chapter III of the said Act provides  for  duties  of  educational  institutions  and  specific  measures  to  promote  and  facilitate inclusive education for children with disabilities. Further, Section 31 of the said Act mandates the  appropriate  Government  to  ensure  that  children  with  benchmark  disabilities  (PwBD),  i.e. disability of more than 40% or more, has access to free education in an appropriate environment till he attains the age of 18 years. Section 32 of the said Act provides for reservation of not less than 5% seats in Govt/Govt. aided higher educational institutions for PwBD. Furthermore, the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), a statutory body under the aegis of this Department, has 986 recognized institutes to conduct training programmes in the field of special education and disability  rehabilitation  and  1,66,802  special  educators  registered  in  Central  Rehabilitation Register(CRR) maintained by RCI.

(b) to (d) Does not arise in view of the above.

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