Systematic research into prevalence and determinants of disability has been scanty from India

although it is an important public health problem. Disability is the best example of the iceberg
phenomenon of disease. This is because of difficulty in identifying the mild and moderate degrees of
physical and mental disability which are unrecognized by the health care delivery system and the
survey team members. The WHO estimates that 10% of the world's population has some form of
disability. In contrast, the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) report and Census data of
2001 stated that its prevalence was as low as 2% in India. A recent community-based study in India
found the prevalence of all types of disability as 6.3% out of which mental disability was found to be
the most common type of disability (36.7%).

The disability prevalence varies in different age groups and urban-rural areas. The burden of
disability is more among the geriatric (>60 years) age group with 6401 and 5511 per lakh population
in rural and urban areas respectively. A study in Chandigarh reported that 87.5% of elderly people
had minimal to severe disabilities. Another study in Dehradun showed that visual disability was the
most common (74.1%) among the geriatric age group. A community-based study conducted in
Rajasthan among children below 14 years found that 7% of them had at least one or other form of
disability. Another study in Gorakhpur found that in children below the age of 6 years the disability
rate was 7638 per lakh population. In India, NSSO reported that a total of 1,40,85,000, and 44,06,000
people are disabled in rural and urban areas, respectively. Overall, 1846 and 1499 per lakh
population had any type of disability during the survey in rural and urban areas respectively. With
respect to gender distribution, some studies showed proportionately more disability among males,
while some other studies more among females. Lack of education among disabled is an important
barrier for effective delivery of services and 54.7% of disabled belonged to illiterate category
according to NSSO 2002 survey findings. The differences observed in various studies are mainly due
to difference in methodology adopted, conceptual framework, the scope and coverage of surveys
undertaken, operational definitions used for various types of disabilities along with difference socio–
cultural, and risk factors prevailing in that area. Social attitudes and stigma, international evidence,
gap driven by mental retardation, and mental health measurement are also important factors
related to prevalence of disability.

Alma Ata declaration on 1978 stated that comprehensive primary health care should include
promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative care. There are three approaches to
rehabilitation, namely institution based, outreach based, and community based. The major objective
of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is to ensure that people with disabilities are able to
maximize their physical and mental abilities, have access to regular services and opportunities, and
achieve full integration within their communities. CBR is a comprehensive approach at primary
health care level used for situations where resources for rehabilitation are available in the
community. In addition to transfer of knowledge related to skill development in various types of
rehabilitation methods, community also will be involved in planning, decision making, and
evaluation of the program with multi-sectoral coordination. Besides, referral system will be there for
those disabled who cannot be managed at community level and referred to district, provincial, and
national levels.
1.District Rehabilitation Center (DRC) Project started in 1985.

2.Four Regional Rehabilitation Training Centers (RRTC) have been functioning under the DRCs
scheme at Mumbai, Chennai, Cuttack, and Lucknow since 1985 for the training of village level
functionaries and DRCs professionals, orientation and training of State Government officials,
research in service delivery, and low cost aids. Apart from developing training material and manuals
for actual field use, RRTCs also produce material for creating community awareness through the
medium of folders, posters, audio-visuals, films, and traditional forms.

3.National Information Center on Disability and Rehabilitation

4.National council for Handicapped Welfare

5.National Level Institutes—NIMH, NIHH, NIVH, NIOH, IPH.

6.A new scheme District Disability Rehabilitation Centre for persons with disabilities launched by the
Hon’ble Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India in Jan/Feb. 2000 is a step
towards providing rehabilitation services and implementation of Persons with Disability Act. 1995.
The Government has decided to set up District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs) in a phased
manner. Presently, 199 DDRCs have been sanctioned and 100 new DDRCs are to be set up during the
remaining two years of the 11th Plan. The DDRCs were established with the objective of providing
comprehensive services to the persons with disabilities at the grass root level. The services include
awareness generation, survey, identification and early intervention, counseling, assessment of need
for assistive devices, provision/fitment of assistive devices, and their follow up/repair, therapeutic
services like Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy, referral and arrangement for
surgical correction through Government and Charitable Institutions, facilitation of issue of Disability
Certificates and bus passes, sanction of bank loans, and promotion of barrier-free environment.[21]

7.The National Policy for Persons with Disability 2005 is the recent development and welcome step
by the Government of India.

The Constitution of India applies uniformly to every legal citizen of India, whether they are healthy
or disabled in any way (physically or mentally)
Under the Constitution the disabled have been guaranteed the following fundamental rights:

1. The Constitution secures to the citizens including the disabled, a right of justice, liberty of
thought, expression, belief, faith and worship, equality of status and of opportunity and for
the promotion of fraternity.

2. Article 15(1) enjoins on the Government not to discriminate against any citizen of India
(including disabled) on the ground of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.

3. Article 15 (2) States that no citizen (including the disabled) shall be subjected to any
disability, liability, restriction or condition on any of the above grounds in the matter of their
access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment or in the use
of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly
out of government funds or dedicated to the use of the general public. Women and children
and those belonging to any socially and educationally backward classes or the Scheduled
Castes & Tribes can be given the benefit of special laws or special provisions made by the
State.

4. There shall be equality of opportunity for all citizens (including the disabled) in matters
relating to employment or appointment to any office under the State.

5. No person including the disabled irrespective of his belonging can be treated as an

untouchable. It would be an offence punishable in accordance with law as provided by
Article 17 of the Constitution.

6. Every person including the disabled has his life and liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of
the Constitution.

7. There can be no traffic in human beings (including the disabled), and beggar and other forms
of forced labour is prohibited and the same is made punishable in accordance with law
(Article 23).

8. Article 24 prohibits employment of children (including the disabled) below the age of 14
years to work in any factory or mine or to be engaged in any other hazardous employment.
Even a private contractor acting for the Government cannot engage children below 14 years
of age in such employment.

9. Article 25 guarantees to every citizen (including the disabled) the right to freedom of
religion. Every disabled person (like the non-disabled) has the freedom of conscience to
practice and propagate his religion subject to proper order, morality and health.

10. No disabled person can be compelled to pay any taxes for the promotion and maintenance
of any particular religion or religious group.

11. No Disabled person will be deprived of the right to the language, script or culture which he
has or to which he belongs.

12. Every disabled person can move the Supreme Court of India to enforce his fundamental
rights and the rights to move the Supreme Court is itself guaranteed by Article 32.

13. No disabled person owning property (like the non-disabled) can be deprived of his property
except by authority of law though right to property is not a fundamental right. Any
unauthorized deprivation of property can be challenged by suit and for relief by way of
damages.
14. Every disabled person (like the non-disabled) on attainment of 18 years of age becomes
eligible for inclusion of his name in the general electoral roll for the territorial constituency
to which he belongs.

 The right to education is available to all citizens including the disabled. Article 29(2) of
the Constitution provides that no citizen shall be denied admission into any educational
institution maintained by the State or receiving aid out of State funds on the ground of
religion, race, caste or language.
 Article 45 of the Constitution directs the State to provide free and compulsory education
for all children (including the disabled) until they attain the age of 14 years. No child can
be denied admission into any education institution maintained by the State or receiving
aid out of State funds on the ground of religion, race, casteor language.

 Article 47 of the constitution imposes on the Government a primary duty to raise the
level of nutrition and standard of living of its people and make improvements in public
health - particularly to bring about prohibition of the consumption of intoxicating drinks
and drugs which are injurious toone’s health except for medicinal purposes.

Public building, rail compartments, buses, ships and air-crafts will be designed to give
easy access to the disabled people.
In all public places and in waiting rooms, the toilets shall be wheel chair accessible.
Braille and sound symbols are also to be provided in all elevators (lifts).
All the places of public utility shall be made barrier- free by providing the ramp

1. The Mental Health Act, 1987

2. The Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992
3. The national trust for welfare of persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and
multiple disabilities act, 1999
4. Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016