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The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities on Wednesday signed a tripartite agreement with the NIOS and the NCERT to strengthen inclusive education for Persons with Disabilities (PwD).
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan presided over the signing ceremony held here, a statement issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said.
The collaboration seeks to review and adapt curriculum and textbooks to ensure alignment with the principles and pedagogical approaches of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, focusing on relevance, accessibility and inclusivity for learners with disabilities.
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) comes under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
As part of the agreement, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) will recognise special schools run by NGOs under the Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) as Special Accredited Institutions for Education of the Disabled (SAIEDs).
These institutions will offer a variety of academic and vocational programmes, from open basic education to senior secondary courses, with the NIOS handling admissions, examinations, study material distribution and provision of examination-related accommodations.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will support the initiative by reviewing and adapting the curriculum and textbooks to enhance accessibility and inclusivity, in line with the NEP 2020 guidelines.
“Children with disabilities have immense potential. Prime Minister Modi’s vision is to ensure no child is left behind when it comes to education,” said Kumar.
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“This MoU reinforces the idea that inclusive education is a right, not a privilege,” he said.
Pradhan emphasised the role of education in building a just society.
“It is our responsibility to build a more sensitive and aware society. The NEP 2020 is a step in that direction. Accessible toilets in schools will also be a focus area in the coming year to prevent dropouts due to inadequate infrastructure,” he said.
DEPwD Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal said the initiative reflects a commitment to expand opportunities for students with disabilities, including in science education and higher institutions like IITs and IIMs.
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He lauded the NIOS for introducing Indian sign language as a secondary-level subject.
Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy, stressed that the ultimate goal is to ensure that every child with disability completes school.
To oversee the implementation of the MoU, a Joint Coordination Committee comprising members from DEPwD, NIOS and NCERT will be established, the statement said.
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