Lok Sabha Question No. 4303 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-19
Subject: National Institute for the Visually Challenged Students
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri Bhojraj Nag, Shri Khagen Murmu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 4303

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19/08/2025

## NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE VISUALLY CHALLENGED STUDENTS

## 4303.   SHRI BHOJRAJ NAG: SHRI KHAGEN MURMU

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

(a)  whether  any  national  institute  is  run  by  the  Department  in  the  stalk  of  Empowerment  of Persons with Disabilities in the State of Chhattisgarh;

(b) whether any significant work is being done in the field of education, rehabilitation and skill development of visually impaired boys and girls in these institutions, if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether  the Government has made any significant efforts for the educational development and upliftment of visually empaired boys and girls, if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether the Government has made an visually impaired children to connect with higher and technical education, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  There  are  nine  National  Institute  under  this  Department  which  cater  for  Persons  with Disabilities across the country. Presently, no National Institute under this Department in the State of  Chhattisgarh.  However,  there  is  a  Composite  Regional  Centre  for  Skill  Development, Rehabilitation  and  Empowerment  of  Persons  with  Disabilities,  an  extended  arm  of  National Institute is being run in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh under the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities under the Department.

(b) to (d) The Department through its National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities  (NIEPVD),  Dehradun  offers  Rehabilitation  Council  of  India  (RCI)  recognized  Special  Education  programmes  including  M.Ed.  (VI);  B.Ed.  (VI)  and  (DB);  and D.Ed.  (VI)  and  along  with  Psychology  courses  such  as  M.Phil.  (Rehabilitation  Psychology), M.Phil.  (Clinical  Psychology),  M.Sc.  Integrated  Applied  Psychology  and  PG  Diploma  in

Rehabilitation Psychology.  The  institute also  conducts  vocational and  skill  development programmes  in  trades such  as Computer  Operations,  Braille Stenography  &  Secretarial Assistance (English & Hindi), Assistive Technologies, Music, Adjustment, Gardening, Reflexology, and Radio Jockey for persons with visual impairment to enhance skills, independence, and employment opportunities.

NIEPVD, Dehradun runs a CBSE affiliated Model School for visually impaired boys and girls. NIEPVD also run Balvatika classes aligned with NEP 2020 for early childhood education and class 1 readiness. The institute has also hosted India's first inclusive and universal design-based NBT outlet to promote accessible literature and reading habits among children and youth with disabilities.

Although relief  to  the  disabled  is  a  State  subject  by  virtue  of  entry  9  of  the  State  List  of  the Constitution of India, this Department  support for the efforts for educational including higher and  technical  education  and  upliftment  of  visually  impaired  boys  and  girls  through  its  major initiatives and schemes, which details is as follow:-

- (i)  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)  including  Persons  with  Visual Disabilities 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 order to make the education accessible Aids and assistive devices are distributed to school going children including Persons with Visual Impairment under the provision of ADIPSSA (Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan) in collaboration with Ministry of Education .
- (ii)  Under  Deendayal  Divyangjan  Rehabilitation  Scheme  (DDRS),  financial  assistance  is provided to the voluntary Organizations/ State Project Implementing agencies for (i) setting up of  District  Disability  Rehabilitation  Centres (DDRCs) and (ii) running various projects for the welfare/empowerment  of  Persons  with  Disabilities  (PwDs)  including  Special  School  for  the Children with Visual, Hearing and Intellectual disability including Children with Cerebral Palsy etc., aimed at enabling them to maintain their optimal, physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric or social functional levels.
- (iii) Department is implementing Umbrella Scheme 'Scholarships for Students with Disabilities' comprising  six  components  viz.,  Pre-matric, Post-matric,  Top  Class  Education,  National Overseas  Scholarship,  National  Fellowship  for  PwDs  and  Free  Coaching  schemes  with  an objective to remove financial, physical and psychological barriers, enabling the Divyang students to  pursue  education  and  live  with  dignity.  Funds  are  disbursed  directly  to  students'  bank accounts (DBT mode) throughout India.
- (iv)  Department implements the National Action Plan for Skill Development for Persons with Disabilities (NAP-SDP) for imparting skill training to persons with disabilities in the age group of 15 to 59 years including visually impaired boys and girls.

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