{"id":60498,"date":"2025-12-03T19:02:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T13:32:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=60498"},"modified":"2025-12-06T11:27:54","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T05:57:54","slug":"indias-commitment-to-disability-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/03-12-2025\/indias-commitment-to-disability-rights","title":{"rendered":"India&#8217;s Commitment to Disability Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/ Society<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is observed annually on December 3 to promote the rights and well-being of people with disabilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>History:<\/strong> IDPD was first celebrated in <strong>1992<\/strong>, following its proclamation through United Nations General Assembly Resolution 47\/3.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>In 2006, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)<\/strong> was adopted to ensure equality of opportunity for PwDs and to support the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Theme 2025: <\/strong>\u201cFostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Disability Scenario in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A &#8220;person with disability&#8221; <\/strong>is someone who has a long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which, in interaction with barriers, hinders their full and effective participation in society equally with others. (<strong>According to The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>According to <strong>Census 2011,<\/strong> there are <strong>2.68 crore persons<\/strong> with disabilities in India which constitute<strong> 2.21 percent<\/strong> of the total population.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Constitutional Provisions<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Article 21:<\/strong> Guarantees the right to<strong> life and personal liberty, <\/strong>which includes the right to live with dignity.<br>&#8211; <strong>Article 41 (DPSP): <\/strong>Right to work, education, and public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness, and disability.<br>&#8211; <strong>Seventh Schedule:<\/strong> The subject of &#8220;<strong>relief of the disabled and unemployable&#8221;<\/strong> is listed under the state list, giving state governments jurisdiction over these matters.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India&#8217;s Legal and Policy Framework for Disability Rights<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 <\/strong>was enacted in <strong>2016<\/strong>, replacing the <strong>Persons with Disabilities Act of 1995.&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It recognises <strong>21 categories of disability, <\/strong>and<strong> <\/strong>mandates reservation in education and employment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India, as a signatory to the <strong>UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD),<\/strong> is committed to building an accessible and inclusive society.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999<\/strong> establishes a national body dedicated to the welfare of individuals with <strong>Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, and Multiple Disabilities<\/strong>, along with related matters and incidental provisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) Act, 1992: <\/strong>RCI was initially established as a registered society in 1986 and later became a statutory body under an Act of Parliament in 1993.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government Initiatives and Schemes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan (Accessible India Campaign): <\/strong>Launched in <strong>2015<\/strong>, the Campaign addresses long-standing barriers faced by persons with disabilities.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It focuses on three key domains \u2014<strong> built infrastructure, transport systems and information and communication technology (ICT) <\/strong>\u2014 ensuring equal access and participation for all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Divyangjan Card<\/strong>, also known as the <strong>E-Ticketing Photo Identity Card (EPICS)<\/strong>, is a railway identity card for people with disabilities that allows them to get concessions on train travel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Unique ID for Persons with Disabilities project<\/strong> is being implemented to create a national database of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and issue a <strong>Unique Disability Identity Card (UDID) <\/strong>to each individual.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>PM-DAKSH DEPwD<\/strong> is the digital platform created by the <strong>Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD).&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is intended as a <strong>one-stop hub <\/strong>connecting persons with disabilities, training institutes, employers, and job aggregators under the national skill &amp; employment ecosystem.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Promotion of Indian Sign Language (ISL):<\/strong> The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), set up in <strong>2015 <\/strong>under DEPwD, serves as the nodal institution for advancing ISL across India.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In 2024, Government launched <strong>PM e-vidya Channel 31 on DTH<\/strong>, exclusively dedicated to ISL training for hearing-impaired students, special educators, and interpreters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concerns<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Despite legal frameworks, many persons with disabilities (PwDs) <strong>face limited access to education, healthcare, and employment.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social stigma and discrimination continue to <strong>hinder social inclusion and opportunities.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Implementation of policies and schemes<\/strong> is often <strong>uneven across regions<\/strong>, leading to gaps in service delivery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Awareness<\/strong> about rights and available support systems among PwDs and their families is still low, limiting effective utilization.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concluding remarks<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The evolution of disability affairs in India shows increasing recognition of the rights and potential of persons with disabilities.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dedicated initiatives and platforms empower individuals, foster inclusivity, and create economic opportunities, contributing to a society where everyone can thrive with dignity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2197426&amp;reg=3&amp;lang=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Context<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is observed annually on December 3 to promote the rights and well-being of people with disabilities.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>About<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">History: IDPD was first celebrated in 1992, following its proclamation through United Nations General Assembly Resolution 47\/3.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">In 2006, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted to ensure equality of opportunity for PwDs and to support the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Theme 2025: \u201cFostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress.\u201d<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/03-12-2025\/indias-commitment-to-disability-rights\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60498"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60805,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60498\/revisions\/60805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}