(GIST OF YOJANA) Education for the Visually impaired

GIST OF YOJANA : Education for the Visually impaired

OCTOBER-2025

Education for the Visually impaired

Context:

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 reinforces this vision by emphasising education as key to unlocking human potential and building an equitable society. It aligns with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, which guarantees equal legal capacity, prohibits discrimination, and mandates inclusive practices. Inclusive education initiatives across the country are working to remove barriers and promote meaningful participation.

Learning their Needs:

The RPwD Act 2016 recognises visual impairment (including both low vision and blindness) as a distinct category. With over five million visually impaired individuals in India, ensuring their access to education is both a constitutional duty and a moral imperative. Persons with visual impairment have distinct learning needs that require thoughtful consideration of some of their unique learning needs and vital interventions.

Legal and Policy Framework

Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016: This landmark act mandates inclusive education for children with disabilities, requiring educational institutions to offer accessible learning environments, reasonable accommodations, and assistive technologies. Sections 16 and 17 specifically address the duties of educational institutions and outline measures like educator training and curriculum adaptation.

National Education Policy (NEP), 2020:The NEP 2020 reinforces the commitment to inclusive education, advocating for barrier-free access, curriculum adjustments, and comprehensive teacher training to support students with visual impairments.\

Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992: This act is crucial for the training and certification of professionals working with persons with disabilities, including special educators and counselors who are vital in supporting visually impaired students.

National Programmes and Schemes

Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: This integrated scheme for school education from pre-primary to Class XII focuses on inclusive education by identifying and assessing Children with Special Needs (CWSN), providing necessary aids and appliances, and deploying special educators.

Scheme for Implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA): This central initiative aims to promote accessibility and inclusion by providing financial assistance to State Governments, autonomous bodies and institutions for creating barrier-free environments in public spaces, educational institutions and transport systems. S1PDA supports infrastructure development, skill training, and assistive technologies.

Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS): Through funding to NGOs, DDRS supports special schools and community-based rehabilitation programs. It supports institutions working with visually impaired children across India.

National Scholarships for Persons with Disabilities: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment offers scholarships for students with benchmark disabilities pursuing post-matric and professional courses, easing the financial burden of higher education.

Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/ Fitting of Aids and Appliances Scheme (ADIP Scheme): This scheme provides modern, certified assistive devices to persons with disabilities to enhance their independence and mobility.

National Action Plan for Skill Development of Persons with Disabilities (NAP-SDP): This plan focuses on providing quality vocational training to persons with disabilities to improve their employability and independence. It includes curriculum design, mentorship, and placement support. Implemented by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in collaboration with Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the plan targets skilling 2.5 million PwDs through certified training partners.

Institutional Support

National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (Divyangjan) - NIEPVD: Located in Dehradun, NIEPVD is a premier autonomous organisation that offers academic programs, teacher training courses (M.Ed., B.Ed., D.Ed. in Spl Ed. (VI)), and vocational training. It is also actively involved in research, Braille production, and capacity-building initiatives. Through its multifaceted services, NIEPVD contributes significantly to the empowerment and inclusion of persons with visual disabilities.

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT): NCERT, New Delhi, has launched several inclusive initiatives to support learners with visual impairment. Through platforms like DIKSHA and PM e-Vidya, NCERT provides DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System)-format textbooks and accessible digital content. The Barkha reading series promotes universal design with tactile visuals. NCERT also develops audio books, and teacher training materials.

Key Enablers

Accessible Learning Materials

Standard printed materials are often inaccessible to persons with visual impairment, limiting their ability to engage with traditional educational content. To ensure inclusive learning, resources must be available in accessible formats like Braille books, tactile diagrams, audio content, and digital tools. These formats empower learners with visual impairment to read, write, and learn effectively, fostering academic success and personal growth. The RPwD Act, 2016, and NEP, 2020, affirm accessible education as a legal right.

Legal and Institutional Support

Legal and institutional support is crucial for ensuring inclusive education for persons with visual impairment. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, mandates inclusive education and reasonable accommodations in schools and universities. These legal and institutional frameworks empower students with visual impairment to pursue education on equal terms, fostering independence, skill development, and social inclusion.

In addition to the above, the following are the major developments in the last 10 years which are significant for the empowerment of persons with visual disabilities:

The RPwD Act 2026 was enacted, which comprehensively covers the education of persons with visual disabilities.
Unicode-mapped Braille codes were released by DEPwD, Government of India, which further gives a road for more technological inclusion for Braille.
The scheme for free-of-cost Braille book production and distribution (now the DALM Project) was introduced in 2014-15 and modified in November 2023 by including more accessible formats in addition to Braille and catering all stages of education.
Promotion and facilitation of science stream education. Science courses at the senior secondary level were also introduced at Model School, NIEPVD, in 2024.
Training on orientation and mobility support to persons with visual impairment, orientation and mobility (O&M). The RCI is strengthening the O&M training programmes.
Skill development courses were recently redesigned, and many new courses are being introduced for persons with visual impairment.
Schemes for free coaching were introduced for facilitating higher education and securing jobs.
More flexible assessment guidelines were introduced to accommodate more preferences by persons with visual impairment.

Conclusion:

Despite notable progress, challenges persist, including limited regional resources, inadequate teacher training, and social stigma. Addressing these gaps requires sustained investment, innovation, and awareness. By ensuring that every visually impaired child receives equitable educational opportunities, India moves closer to a society where empowerment is not just a possibility but a lived reality for all.