Current Status of Inclusive Education in India

Abstract

India has exhibited a robust commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with disabilities, have access to fundamental education rights. Being an early adopter of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), India emphasizes providing inclusive and high-quality education for children with disabilities. Central to India’s educational mandate is the principle of inclusive education, ensuring free and compulsory education for all children aged 6 to 14. This approach encompasses various groups, including children from remote communities, minorities, and those with disabilities, who are integrated into inclusive classrooms. Policies such as the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE), the ‘no rejection policy’ of the SarvaShikshaAbhiyan (SSA), and recognition of education as a fundamental right under Article 21A of the Indian Constitution drive this inclusive agenda. These policies have facilitated the integration of children with disabilities, also known as children with special needs (CWSN), into mainstream schools, regardless of the severity of their disabilities. The National Curriculum Framework (2005) emphasizes child-centered pedagogy to address the diverse challenges associated with inclusive education in India.