Lok Sabha Question No. 1876 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-11
Subject: Indian Sign Language
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri G M Harish Balayogi

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

## LOK SABHA

## INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

## 1876.  SHRI G M HARISH BALAYOGI

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

- (a) the details regarding the percentage of the Indian population that are deaf and dumb and use Indian sign language;
- (b) whether the Government has any plans/initiatives to make Indian sign language as an official language, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has undertaken any initiatives to include Indian sign language in the educational curriculum of the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e) whether the Government has any plans/initiatives to include Indian sign language as an optional subject in the education curriculum of the country, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (f) the details regarding the steps taken by the Government to include Indian sign language as a mode of instruction for various professional and skill development courses; and
- (g) the details regarding the steps undertaken by the Government to promote the usage of Indian sign language in different forms of media?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF  STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI  B.L. VERMA)

- (a)  The  Government  primarily  relies  on  Census  data  for  demographic  statistics  of  PwDs. According to the Census 2011, a total of 2.68  crore  persons in  India  were reported as having disabilities out of which 19% have hearing disabilities.

Unstarred Question No.1876

To be answered on 11/03/2025

(b) The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 provides adequate provisions for the recognition, protection, and promotion of Indian Sign Language (ISL).

(c) to (e) In line with the RPwD Act, 2016 and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Government has undertaken various initiatives to incorporate Indian Sign Language (ISL) into the  education  system.  The  Indian  Sign  Language  Research  and  Training  Centre  (ISLRTC), New Delhi has undertaken the following key initiatives:

Conversion  of  NCERT  Textbooks  into  ISL :  Under  an  MoU signed between  ISLRTC and NCERT  in  2020  and  renewed  in  2023,  NCERT  textbooks  from  Classes  1  to  6  have  been converted into ISL and made available on online platforms. Further, textbooks for Classes 1-3, developed under NEP 2020, have also been converted into ISL.

ISL  as  a  Language  Subject :  ISLRTC,  in  collaboration  with  the  National  Institute  of  Open Schooling (NIOS), has developed a curriculum for ISL as a language subject at the secondary level.

ISL  Dictionary :  ISLRTC  has  developed  an  ISL  dictionary  that  includes  academic  terms sourced from NCERT textbooks.

(f) To promote skill development among PwDs, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) is implementing the National Action Plan for Skill Development of PwDs (NAP-SDP). Under this plan:

Training in ISL is provided for Deaf PwDs through Skill Council for Persons with Disabilities (SCPwD) and certified trainers.

Various skill training programs, including basic ISL communication and employability courses, are conducted, with Deaf trainers imparting training through ISL.

ISLRTC  has  developed  a  two  -year  RCI-approved  professional  course  called  Diploma  in Teaching  Indian  Sign  Language  course,  where  Deaf  individuals  are  trained  to  become  ISL teachers, with ISL as the mode of instruction.

- (g)  To  enhance  accessibility  and  promote  the  use  of  ISL  in  media,  ISLRTC  has  developed several digital resources:

A dedicated website and mobile application "Sign Learn" for ISL Dictionary.

Educational content in ISL is made available through DTH Channel No. 31 under PM e-Vidya, which is also live-streamed on YouTube.

ISL resources and videos are regularly shared on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

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