UNIT 1

EDUCATION AND CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL

NEEDS
DEFINITION, CONCEPT AND IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSIVE
EDUCATION
NEED AND CONCEPT
In a democratic set-up, its citizens must be necessarily educated. Keeping this
thing into consideration, a campaign in the name of education for all has been
started in our country for providing opportunities to all its citizens with no
discrimination at all. In arranging education for all, a big difficulty has been faced
that how can a worthwhile school education be provided to the learners with
special needs (including the children suffering with one or the other type of
disabilities). For providing education for these children with special needs, one
alternative can be in the form of establishing special schools for them such as blind
schools, deaf and dumb schools, mentally retarded schools, etc. However, this
alternative of providing separate provision/schools cannot be a properly viable
solution for the vast population of the India having so many disability figures of
the prospective learners. Moreover, children may differ extensively in relation to
their incapacities and disabilities.
In an inclusive set-up of the school, the required specialised instruction and
support are provided to every student who is in need of educational and
developmental education without labelling him disabled or children with special
needs or abilities. All the children in all shades of their abilities or disabilities are
welcome here by making necessary arrangements and accommodation for their
education in the same school and classes along with their non disabled or normal
peers.For understanding the need, nature, meaning and concept of inclusive
education in a more comprehensive way, let us try to gather opinion from a few
well-known definitions of the term inclusive education
1. Michael F. Giangreco (1997): Inclusive education is a set of values,
principles and practices that seek more effective and meaningful education
for all students regardless of whether they have exceptionality labels or not.
2. Advani and Chadha (2003): Inclusive education aims to provide a
favourable setting for achieving equal opportunity and full participation for
all, thus bringing children with special needs well within the purview of
mainstream education. It recognises the diverse needs of the students and
 ensures equality education to all through appropriate curricula, teaching
strategies, support services and partnership with the community and parents.
In simple words, it means that all children with or without disabilities learn
together.
3. NCF (2005): Inclusion is not confined to the disabled. It also means non-
exclusion Inclusive education, thus, is about embracing all
4. UNESCO (2000): Inclusive education is concerned with removing all
barriers to learning, and with the participation of all learners, vulnerable to
exclusion and marginalisation. It is a strategic approach designed to facilitate
learning success for all children.
ASPECTS OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
 Infrastructure
 National level policies
 Capacity building
 Legislation
 Understanding
 Sensitization
 Initiatives
 Organization
 Networking

CHARACTERISTICS OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

1. Recognizing and accepting diversity
2. Education for all
3. Education is a fundamental rights
4. Acceptance and supports to children with special needs
5. Teaching strategies and curriculum adaptations
6. Closer link between general and special education
7. Involvement of parents and community
8. Planning and policies are strong
9. Child Centred Approach
10. Accept diversity.

NATURE AND SCOPE OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

1. It works on the principle of inclusion, i.e., including all. Therefore, all students n
included in this system of education in their local schools and general classes,
without any discrimination and consideration of their exceptionalities or non-
exceptionalities disabilities or non-disabilities of any kind.
 2. Here, for the general education, the neighbourhood school that a student would
attend if he did not have exceptionality/disability) is regarded as the first placement
option for any exceptional or disabled child.
3. Here, exceptional/disabled children may get unique opportunities to education
with peers in the same age groups available to those without exceptionality.
4. Here, in the inclusive settings, children with all shades of
exceptionality/disabilities/ normalities get opportunities to participate in shared
educational experiences while pursuing individually appropriate learning
objectives with necessary teaching-learning strategies, supports and
accommodation needed for making inclusion as a success get for all
5. It aims to integrate and include the education of the disabled children with the
general system of education so that the education of the disabled and non-disabled
may proceed side by side by fulfilling the needs and objectives of both the groups
without any differentiation or discrimination
6. It helps in putting the disabled children (redefined as children with special
needs) into the mainstream of the educational system in place of separation or
segregating them as happens in the case of educating them in special schools or
separate classes.
7. As a policy matter, inclusive education provides a right to the disabled children
for being educated with the non-disabled children without any differentiation or
discrimination
8. It seeks for all round development of the disabled children by providing
opportunities and integration in terms of academic, physical, social, emotional and
vocational education programmes of the schools.
9. It aims to make the disabled children learn the art of living and get adjusted to
real-life situations as independently as possible by erasing their feeling of
insufficiency or limitedness, or of being different and disabled.
10. Inclusive education provides placing of exceptional/disabled children as equal
partners and integrating them in the mainstream schooling. It helps the children to
be self-reliant and self-supporting individuals contributing in their own way to the
advancement o community and prosperity of the state
11. Special schools, if established in any country, are always few in numbers for
providing accommodation to all and each variety of the exceptional children.
Moreover, they are proved failures in integrating these children to the social
mainstream. It is therefore, unanimously agreed that the principle of inclusive
education is the only way to realize the noble goal 'education for all' as anticipated
by UNESCO from all the states of the world community
12. It tries to bring the desired educational opportunities at the doorstep of the
exceptional/ disabled children rather than expecting from them to move and try for
themselves to avail these opportunities.
PRINCIPLES OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
Inclusive education, embracing all the school-attending learners irrespective of
their diversities and special needs in the system of a school is found to be guided
through a number of principles discussed below:
1. Principle of acknowledging the right to education:
The right to education is becoming a fundamental principle for the education of
the children worldwide. In our country, our schools are also under legal
compulsion to provide education to the children seeking admission with no
discrimination of any kind. Inclusive education is, thus, the need of the hour, as
it helps the school in fulfilling its responsibility towards the mentation of the
Right to Education Act. The first and foremost guiding principle of inclusive
education is, thus, to acknowledge on the part of school authorities and staff
their obligation to implement the Right to Education Act.
2. Principle of acknowledging that all children can learn:
Inclusive education rests on the very assumption that all children irrespective of
their shortcomings impairments and disabilities not only have the right to
education but also are endowed with the capacity to learn in their own way and
progress according to their potential and capabilities. Our duty is to help them
and not to deny the opportunities for the learning and development.
3. Principle of celebrating diversity:
Diversity is inherent in the nature in its various forms and dimensions.
Therefore, there is no surprise to find the learners endowed with diverse
abilities, capacities and diverse needs for their education and development A
progressive society or country always welcomes the diversity of its citizens
and tries to provide opportunities for their better adjustment, development
and progress Inclusive set-up of the school also follows the same footprint
by welcoming the learners of diverse backgrounds, cultures, abilities,
capacities or disabilities and providing them the needed opportunities for
meeting out their needs related to education and development. In this
system, diversities are not considered as something to avoid, but are taken as
challenge and a natural phenomenon existing in nature Everybody has
 something unique and meritorious and we can learn from others in so many
ways irrespective of their limitations and deficiencies. The diversities should
thus, be regarded as the matter of celebration and welcome rather than
avoidance or danger in the system of inclusive education.
4. Principle of addressing all aspects of child development:
Child welfare lies in his all round growth and development in the entire
dimensions physical, intellectual, social, moral, emotional, creative, aesthetic,
etc. In inclusive education set-up, we have all shades of learners, including
deficient, deprived and disabled. We have to not only accommodate them in our
system of schooling but also care for their utmost well-balanced overall
development. They should be given all what is needed for addressing the
requirements in relation to their wholesome development and well-being
5. Principle of acknowledging individual differences and special needs:
In inclusive set-up, there are a lot of diversity and differences existing
among the learners. Although such diversities and difference also exist in a
normal classroom set-up, yet these are more visible in an inclusive set-up
with the presence of the disabled.
6. Principle of due preparation on the part of school:
The working in an inclusive set-up has the clear-cut mission and purpose of (1)
welcoming or embracing all. (ii) Providing opportunities to meet the needs of all
for their wholesome development. And (ii) catering to special needs of all without
sacrificing the interests and welfare of anybody included in the inclusive set-up.
7. Principle of seeking co-operation from all:
The inclusion of all and seclusion of none is the fundamental principle of an
inclusive education set-up. It also aims to provide opportunities for the
satisfaction of diversified special needs of all aiming towards their wholesome
development. This huge responsibility needs the co-operation of all whose
stakes are involved in taking care of the interests of diverse learners of the
inclusive set-up. These are parents, teachers, students, school authorities,
community people and government agencies. The success of the inclusive
education programmes needs a co-operative joint effort on the part of all the
stakeholders by playing their due roles in a co-operative way.
8. Principle of promoting a supportive culture of learning:
Individual attention is the key for success in individualized teaching-learning
attempts most needed in the inclusive set-up of diverse learners. However, it is
quite uphill task for the teachers to meet such individual attention need for the
diverse population of the inclusive et-up. The way out is possible in promoting a
supportive culture of learning in the school in which each learner is found to co-
operate and share learning experiences with others. The disabled children may get
a lot of advantages in their adjustment, education and progress from their non-
disabled peers. Here, the gifted and genius can play the role of peer tutors for their
classmates, and in turn, may get opportunity to refine their own skills and develop
their potential
9. Principle of making use of practices, policies and resources available for
inclusive education:
There are many policies, provisions and resources available on national and
international level for the welfare and progress of the children with special needs
including disabled. Inclusive education asks for getting due benefits from the
available assistance, guidelines and feedback from these legal provisions, act
policies, documents and resources available for the welfare of inclusive population
Hence, the implementation of inclusive education programme should try to take
advantages of the assistance and guidance available from the state, national and
international level resources and agencies. They may be benefitted in equipping
their schools in terms of needed men-material resources, development of
infrastructure suitable methodology of teaching, seeking involvement and
participation of students, community and parents, developing a co-operative
learning culture, evaluating the learning outcomes of the diverse learners and
providing educational opportunities for meeting their specific needs through the
use of good practices and resources available from various corners.
10. Principle of constant evolution of the system:
Inclusive education is a dynamic process as new challenges of meeting special
needs of the diverse learners are quite dynamic in nature. There arises a continuous
need of adapting the system in tune with the needs and requirements of the diverse
learners. We may need some modification in the infrastructure, use of material
resources, employment of methods and devices. use of the new modern assistive
devices and ICT techniques, and meeting the physical, academic, social, emotional
and creative needs of a wide variety of learners. Therefore, we should keep in mind
that for the success of the working of an inclusive set-up, we should always be
ready to change for accommodating our system to the evolving needs of the
learners belonging to our inclusive set-up.
ADVANTAGES OR IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
Inclusive education provided in the schools proves advantageous or beneficial
to all in the manner like below.
1. Meeting the international and global obligations:
Adherence to inclusion policy on the part of schools may help our
country to serve its international and global obligations for providing
education to all children-non-disabled and disabled with no discrimination of
any kind. In this concern, it should be well noted that India is signatory of
the agreements reached among the nations of the world on this account in a
World Conference on Special Needs Education held in 1994 in Spain
(known as Salamanca Statement) and UN conventions on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities, 2006. The implementation of inclusion policy in
the schools may help well our country to walk along the other nations of the
world.
2. Helping in the implementation of national policies and
constitutional provisions:
As a democratic country, India has a moral duty to arrange for the
quality education for all of its citizens with no discrimination of any kind.
Every citizen of the country has a right to his or her education. The
Government of India has, therefore, launched the scheme 'Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan' (Education For All) and brought out a legislative measure in the
name of Right to Education (RTE Act, 2009). The implementation of the
'Education For All' policy and RTE Act can only be possible through the
implementation of inclusive policy in a proper way in the schools of our
country
3. Helping in the establishment of an inclusive society and inclusive
culture:
Where segregation in the form of special schools and special classes
breeds the feelings of separation and widens the gulf between the disabled
and non-disabled, inclusion in the form of inclusive education brings them
closer. They get valuable opportunities to know and understand each other
and begin to co-operate and collaborate in the curricular and co-curricular
activities of the school. Gradually, the negative attitude developed towards
disabilities and disabled children on the part of non-disabled peers gets
transferred into positive and favourable one leading to the establishment of
an inclusive society respecting the individualities and different abilities of
each other
 4. Helping the country in the total utilisation of its human resources:
We know that a large chunk of the population of our country is
affected through one or the other types of impairments or disabilities. This
segment of the society feels neglected and is forced to lag behind in terms of
its education, adjustment and progress from its early childhood. Due to lack
of learning facilities, the disabled children remain deprived of their needed
education, and thus, may remain a burden on their parents, society and
nation. Inclusive education provided to them in their neighbourhood schools
can prove the best alternative and potent means for the children with
disabilities to learn art and skills of their adjustment and progress in life.
They can get valuable opportunities to develop and make utilisation of their
different abilities in the most appropriate manner contributing towards the
development and progress of the society and nation. Who knows that there
may be a great scientist, artist, creative and inventive mind lying among the
CWSN, and nurturing of his or her abilities may prove a great asset to the
nation as well as humanity at large. His or her talent can be best developed
in the inclusive set-up of the schools and this development, in turn, can
prove a big asset for the progress and development of the society and nation,
5. Proving advantageous for all the learners of the inclusive set-up
(CWSN and students without special needs):
Inclusive education provided in the school may prove advantageous
to the disabled as well as non-disabled population of the students getting
opportunities to learn and work together in a number of ways.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SPECIAL EDUCATION, INTEGRATED

EDUCATION AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

SPECIAL EDUCATION
It indicates specially designed instruction which meets the special educational and related
needs of an exceptional child. It provides special materials, special training techniques and
special teachers may be required for special categories of children.
INTEGRATED EDUCATION
It refers to education of disabled children in common with other in general schools. It
indicates exceptional children attend classes with normal children on either a part or fulltime
basis.
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
It provides a learning environment that promotes the full personal, academic and
professional development of all learners irrespective of class, gender, religion, disability,
learning styles and languages.
BARRIERS TO LEARNING AND PARTICIPATION
INTRODUCTION

As a policy matter, inclusive education stands for removing all barriers in the path of learning and
participation of all learners irrespective of their being disabled or non-disabled, privileged or marginalised
on one or the other accounts. It stands for embracing all in the system or set up of a school. However, as
we may find out, there stand a number of factors or things in the prevailing system that may interfere in
achieving this goal of inclusive education. They may create barriers in embracing as well as providing
proper opportunities to learning and participation of all in the needed spirit of inclusive education. In this
way, by the term 'barriers' to learning and participation in inclusive education set-up, we mean those
things and factors which lead to the inability of the system to accommodate diversity, which lead to
learning breakdown or which prevents learners from accessing educational provisions in tune with their
potentials and aspirations.
Various Types of Barriers to Learning and Participation
Such barriers to learning and participation found in a system are quite varied in nature. We may
try to summarise and discuss them in the following way:
1. Attitudinal barriers:
Attitude of the people towards disability and disabled children causes the greatest barrier
to the learning and participation of disabled children in the inclusive set-up. Even in this modern
age of scientific and technological advancement, there are people and societies having a lot of
negative attitude and misbelieve about the disabled. In their opinion, it is quite harmful to their
children to get along with the disabled, and thus, they oppose the efforts regarding inclusive set-
up of the school and advocate separate provisions for the disabled. Apart from the general public,
the school authorities and even the teachers are also found to have quite negative attitude towards
disability and disabled children. As a result, in the society as well in the school, disabled children
have to face a lot of discrimination and prejudices against them. Their non-disabled peers, driven
by the false notions created in their minds, also try to maintain distance from them. All such sort
of things lead to one or the other type of barriers in the learning and participation of the disabled
in an inclusive set-up.

2. Physical and environmental barriers:

A learner should have the desired physical access to the place of learning and
participation for his needed education and adjustment. However, such accessibility to the disabled
in many times is hampered by a number of physical and environmental barriers erected in their
path, which are as below:
 It may be difficult for them to reach the school on account of their impairment or disability
conditions. Proper transport facilities may not be available to them or due care may not be
observed for facilitating the use of transport services to them by the accompanying staff. In such a
situation, the children with disabilities, particularly physically disabled, may be forced to stay
away from the school.
 The school environment especially the pathways, school buildings, classrooms, stairs and ramps,
doors and passages may not be disabled-friendly resulting into a lot of inconvenience and
problems to the disabled.
 The classrooms, laboratories, workshops, recreational places, students assembly rooms, etc. are
not designed as per the needs of the disabled children. The seating arrangement, working area and
available physical facilities, etc. are also not disabled-friendly
3. Curriculum and learning experiences barriers:

The type of learning experiences to be provided in the school and the curriculum of the
school education are fixed. They do not allow needed flexibility for the school authorities and
teachers to meet the special needs of the varying types of CWSN and disabled. Teachers cannot
make the needed adaptations and modifications according to the learning needs, and educational
goals of the differently-abled students present in the inclusive class. Moreover, school curriculum
many times forced teachers to remain focused on covering the contents theoretically somehow
with little consideration of the students' diversities and day-to day needs. All these things related
to negativity of the school curriculum are proving a great barrier in the path of the learning and
participation of the differently abled.

4. Barriers related to lack of resources and supports:

A school should be adequately prepared for meeting the need of an inclusive education
set-up. An ill-prepared school with a poor infrastructure and men-material resources is likely to
prove quite harmful to the interests and well-being of the CWSN or disabled. Apart from
arranging for the disabled-friendly building and infrastructure, there is a great need of the capable
teachers, special teachers and other supporting staff for the education and adjustment of the
disabled in the inclusive classrooms. The support services of the special education experts,
guidance and counselling personnel, medical personnel and therapists are also needed from time
to time for the care and welfare of the disabled However, lack of adequate fund and financial
resources may create a great hurdle in the proper availability of such men-material resources and
support services, and it may become a major barrier in the path of the objectives of inclusive
education.

5. Psychological barriers:

It is natural that the disabled children may feel some sort of difficulties and problems on
account of their impairments and disabilities in getting adjusted to the learning and educational
environment of the inclusive set up. But, it is not much in comparison to thrill and excitement
available to them in terms of the new experiences in the available positive environment of an
inclusive school. However, the picture is not so bright in many cases. They may find a hostile and
negative environment in the school for them. They are ridiculed and feel embraced for their
inadequacies, impairments and in-competencies. It may bring serious psychological consequences
for them in terms of imbibing with the feelings of inferiority, incompleteness and worthlessness.
Their self-confidence may be greatly shaken and they may begin to fear from attending the
inclusive classes and school. All these things may then work for erecting a solid psychological
barrier in the path of their learning and participation in the inclusive school.

6. Aids and equipment-related barriers:

Disabled children need a variety of one or the other assistive and adaptive devices and
equipment for their adequate adjustment, self-help and learning in an inclusive classroom set-up,
e.g. learning aids, Braille operation, sign language, wheel chair and other developed technological
aid material and equipment. Similarly, they may also require multi-sensory teaching-learning
material quite in tune with the nature of their disability and learning needs. However, many times,
it is not available to them in the set-up of an inclusive school, or in case it is there, disabled
children are not properly helped in its use. In such circumstances, there arises a lot of
inconvenience or difficulties for them to participate in the learning process or working of an
 inclusive set-up. They must be equipped with what is needed on their part as assistive and
adaptive technology. Its absence is likely to prove a great barrier in the path of their learning and
participation in the inclusive class.
7. Barriers related to educational policies and their implementation:
It is true that educational policies framed in a country are the major deciding factor of the
quality and nature of education provided in the schools of that country. For achieving the goal
education for all', India has a solid legislative measure in the name of Right to education of
CWSN and disabled. However, whatever barriers seem to be in the way of the education and
welfare of the disabled, these are certainly arising on account of improper and half-hearted
attempts for the implementation of the inclusive education policy. There is a lack of sincerity and
proper awareness among the general public, parents of the disabled, authority and staff of the
regular schools about the things and provisions available in the acts and policies of Government
of India for the education, adjustment and welfare of the CWSN or disabled in the inclusive set-
up. It needs to be resolved with the more sincere efforts and co-operation between Government
authorities and general public, teaching-learning situation.

8. Barriers related to teachers and their functioning:

Teacher is a central figure and has a big responsibility for carrying out the task of
teaching-learning in any teaching-learning situations. However his tasks and responsibilities are
greatly enhanced in the teaching learning of an inclusive set-up where he has to take care of the
multidimensional diversities of the Learners with the maximum benefit to all the learners present
in the class. For this purpose, he has to equip himself with the knowledge, skills, interests and
attitudes necessary for turning himself into a successful functionary of an inclusive class. He must
have a positive desirable attitude for dealing with disabilities and disabled children, command
over the methods and techniques matching the learning needs and styles of the diverse learners,
and skill for communicating guiding and providing support to a variety of CWSN along with the
normal students belonging to the inclusive class. Since there is a lack of such capable and
competent teachers in our regular schools and no proper provision in terms of the pre-service and
in-service training is available at present for training teachers to work in an inclusive set-up, it is
creating great hurdle in the proper implementation of inclusive education policy in the regular
schools. Let us hope that in future, proper attention will be paid over equipping and enabling the
school teachers with all what is needed by them for functioning in an inclusive set-up.

Removal of Possible Barriers to Inclusion

1. For protecting the disabled from distance barrier, they should be given admission in the nearest
possible regular school from their residences. Efforts should also be made to establish more
schools in the distant and difficult approach areas for providing.
2. Adequate transport facilities equipped with the necessary disabled-friendly amenities should be
provided to the learners of regular schools so that disabled may have proper access to their
schools.
3. Attempts should be made to provide disabled-friendly environment and infrastructure for
enabling proper access to the disabled to the classroom and other workplace activities. The
classes, laboratories, workshop, the places of holding co-curricular activities, students’ amenities,
etc should be so planned and maintained as to provide the required access to the disabled children
for their adjustment, education and progress.
4. Due care should be taken for bringing positive desirable changes in the attitudes of society,
school authorities, teachers as well as non-disabled peers towards disabilities and disabled
children. They should learn to respect the individualities and diversities of the disabled and must
have a faith in their unique differential abilities with an intention of co-operating with them for
their utmost development and progress.
5. It should be properly cared that disabled children may not suffer from any unnecessary
psychological setback on account of discrimination, ill-treatment, negative remarks passed on
them by the community people, school authorities, teachers, schoolmates and peers.
6. Parents, people of the community, school authorities, teachers and disabled students
themselves should be well-oriented and informed about the amenities and facilities available to
the disabled through a number of programmes, policies and legislative measures brought out by
the government and services available from the NGOs and charitable organisations for the
adjustment, education, rehabilitation and progress of the disabled. In this concern, media
(newspapers, television channels and government propaganda machinery) should work towards
bringing the needed awareness in a well-coordinated way.
7. Due attention should be paid over the maintenance of flexibility in the curriculum and learning
experiences provided to the differently abled children according to their learning needs,
motivation and educational goals.
8. The methodology and techniques adopted for providing curricular and co-curricular
experiences to the disabled should match their potential, learning styles, needs andaspirations.
Teachers and instructors must get them equipped with the knowledge and skills needed for the
teaching learning of the diverse learners.
9. Necessary efforts should be made to restructure, modify and enrich the pre-teacher teachers
with the necessary knowledge, skills, interest and attitude related to their functioning in the
inclusive set-up.
10. Government should allot adequate funds for equipping the school with the necessary
infrastructure, men-material facilities, aids and equipment, support services for the proper
working of the inclusive set-up in the regular schools. The co-operation from the parents, NGOs
and charitable organisations should be properly taken for this purpose.

Adoption of Suitable Strategies, Ways and Means for Inclusion

1. Inclusion in the form of full inclusion model should be accepted as a broad-based policy for the
education of all the children without discrimination of any kind, both in the government schools
and aided non-government schools.
2. Special schools which take care of a few well-known types of disabled children may be
continued for the time being. However, the government, the NGOs and charitable minds working
in such ventures should focus on providing incentives to the schools, which need support for
making inclusion as a success.
3. As a police matter, top priority should be given for the pre-service and in-service education of
the classroom and subject teachers, and other school personnel associated with the students for
equipping them with the necessary knowledge, skills, attitude for working in an inclusive set-up.
4. Essential support services like services of the special education teachers, experts, resource
room facilities, aids and equipment, the environmental modifications as per needs of the disabled
children, guidance and counselling facilities, should be well available to the teachers and students
working in an inclusive set-up. A district or blockwise fool of the needed resources may be
maintained for providing such assistance to the schools.
5. Since there lies too much diversities and the inclusive class set-up presents a heterogeneous
grouping, the emphasis should not be on designing suitable
6. Individualised curriculum and instruction. Instead of it, some common instructional goals, as
often targeted in a normal non-inclusive set-up should be established. The appropriate techniques
and strategies suitable in the inclusive set-up like collaborative team approach, activity-based
learning, co-operative learning and experiences, data-based instruction, creative problem-solving,
peer to peer support should be well-learned and practised by the teachers while working in the
inclusive set-up. These techniques and strategies are very much needed for being applied with the
non-exceptional children simply on the ground that basic principles of teaching and learning are
the same for all the children of a particular age group irrespective of their normality or
exceptionality.
7. We must not emphasise or expect the same level of learning outcomes from the children
belonging to a classroom of inclusive set-up. In such a set-up, from a holistic, constructive
perspective, all children simply engage in a process of learning as much as they can in a particular
subject area; how much and exactly what they learn will depend on their background, interests
and abilities.
8. In case, the need arises, special education services in the form of resource room facilities,
individualised guidance and help from the special teacher and professionals may be arranged for
the exceptional/disabled children for helping them in remaining on track in their travelling along
within an inclusive set-up.
9. The most pronounced goal of any system of education for the youngsters is to help them in
leading their adult and community life as properly as possible. For this purpose, they must learn
to cope with the demands of their social and community life. They should be able to get along
with the non-cxceptional/non disabled by having necessary communication with them, seeking
their friendship and participating with them in some or the other social, vocational, and leisure
activities.
NEIGHBOURHOOD SCHOOL

The word “community” broken down to its roots is simply the union
of the two words, “common unity.” From this quite literal delineation of
the word, it is easy to see that the real definition of a community is a
group of people that have a particular characteristic in common.

It means the nearest primary or upper primary school within walking

distance from the child's residence

RTE Act section 12 brings the concept of neighborhood school It relates

to availability of a school within safe and accessible distance from the
child's habitat

The act defines the limits of a neighbourhood school as,1 km walking

distance at the primary level (class I to 5) ,3 km walking distance for
upper primary level. (Class 6 to 8)

Under Kerala rules in places with difficult terrain and risk of landslides,
flood etc stare should make adequate arrangements for providing
elementary education.

Neighbourhood schools are obliged to grant admission to children from

all sections of society living within specific districts.
One may then ask themselves: what makes successful and dynamic
communities? Contrary to what you may think, the answer is actually
quite simple. Education. More specifically, quality public
education—open to all of the community’s members—powers
prosperous communities.

In Chicago—a city of neighborhoods—neighborhood schools not only

serve as anchor institutions in their communities, but they also serve the
cornerstones of democracy, providing opportunities for students of all
backgrounds and walks of life. In order for any community to truly
flourish and maintain prosperity, there must be top-quality public
education.

Neighborhood schools not only serve as anchor institutions in their

communities, but they also serve the cornerstones of democracy.

Here are 4 ways highly effective neighborhood public high schools

power vibrant community life:

1. Strong schools attract families and businesses boosting the local

economy and driving population growth.

Strong neighborhood schools attract families looking for an affordable,

top-quality education for their children. With the increased enrollment in
these schools and the subsequent population increase in the
neighborhood, businesses soon follow, boosting the local economy.

2. Families build more and better relationships with other families

in their community, building neighborhood cohesion and trust.

Families become interwoven through their strong neighborhood public

schools. As the students begin to develop life-long relationships through
their neighborhood schools, the parents will also develop strong
relationships. The relationships developed in school will create stronger
family ties within the neighborhood, ultimately leading to an
environment of communal cohesion and trust.

3. When students attend a school near their home, families can more
easily connect with teachers and contribute as school volunteers and
leaders.

The closer a student lives to their school, the more access the parents
have to the resources at that school. Families who did not previously
have the time or resources to travel to their children’s distant schools,
now have the ability to participate in their education. With increased
access to the schools, parents will become more involved. Studies have
shown that parent involvement in their children’s education has been
proven to yield higher grades and test scores, enroll in higher-level
programs, pass their classes and earn credits, attend school regularly and
have better social skills among many other benefits.

4. More and more, high schools are functioning like community

centers, offering opportunities that build the health and wellbeing of
residents nearby.

Strong neighborhood schools attract positive attention from all over the
community. They serve as the centers of their community by hosting
various sporting events, theater performances, and community-directed
events. Neighborhood public schools have the potential to be the centers
of their community, to be the driving force of a prosperous community.
The key to a successful community starts with top-quality public
education.
Models of Disability
The diverse approaches to disability can be traced in various definitions
of disability. Law.policy, programme and rights instruments also reflect
these different approaches and associated discourses that treat disability
cither as an individual pathology or as a social pathology,

Within these two overriding paradigms - (a) individual pathology and

(b) social pathology - the four major identifiable formulations of
disability are the charity model, the bio-centric model, the functional
model, and the human rights model. The first two of these, the charity
model and the bio-centric model are chronologically prior and reflect the
ways disability has been framed historically in many cultures around the
world. Both of these models follow the individual pathology approach to
disability. The latter two, the functional model of disability and the
human rights model, which view disability as a social pathology, have
emerged in recent decades through interventions by disability and
human rights activists and theorists. While the appearance of the social
pathology models is chronologically more recent, all four approaches are
currently at play in contemporary law, policy and programmes.

1. The Charity Model

Driven largely by emotive appeals of charity, this model treats

people with disabilities as helpless victims needing care' and protection'.
As the term handicap implies, derived as it is from the image of a beggar
with a cap in hand', this model relies largely on the goodwill of
benevolent humanitarians for 'custodial care' of the disabled.

The charity model shares many common features with the bio-
centric model. There is a similar imperative of social responsibility that
is derived from charity and benevolence, rather than justice and equality.
The notion of charitable privilege has its roots in the English Poor Laws,
which primarily protected drain on social resources and created criteria
to limit claims to rights. In other words, the charity model was based on
an assumption that claim to rights is valid on certain grounds and invalid
on certain others. Disability was perceived as a disqualification and
perhaps for this very reason the expression 'invalid' became synonymous
with persons with disabilities.

The charity model engineered stringent criteria for groups declared

invalid ensuring their exclusion from social arrangements and services in
the public domain. It justified their exclusion from mainstream
education and employment, and other rights and privileges enjoyed by
citizens who fitted into the criteria of valid holders of rights

The charity model driven interventions, which are intended to be

beneficial can actually compromise their beneficiaries' rights. Since
entitlement to rights is often substituted by relief measures, over which
the groups declared invalid have little control or power to bargain, the
charity model creates an army of powerless individuals dependent on
either State sponsored charities or arrangements maintained by
benevolent individuals outside mainstream development and
mechanisms of social support. Special schools, sheltered workshops and
protection homes for persons with disabilities were established
throughout the world by religious and other philanthropic agencies.
Many governments continue to rely upon such arrangements by
providing them financial grants, instead of bringing education,
vocational training and right to safe and secure shelter for persons with
disabilities under the direct purview of their development agenda

2. The Bio-Centric Model

The bio-centric approach to disability emphasises the biological origin

of a disabling condition, and focuses on a disease, disorder, physical or
mental characteristic that is viewed as aberrant or abnormal, but which
may be prevented or ameliorated through medical intervention. The aims
of intervention in this model are two fold, one to prevent disability, and
second to bring the individual's embodied experience in line with
conventional standards of normalcy.

The bio-centric model of disability is linked ideologically to a trend in

Western thought that can be traced to the biological sciences and to a
period referred to as the Enlightenment' era in Europe. In their struggle
to grapple with apparent differences between groups of people like
disabled and non-disabled, the rich and the poor, men and women,
western people and non-western people, the rope ans of this period
tended to reduce social phenomena to their supposed natural biological
roots. Similar construction based on biological and intellectual
characteristics have also been deployed by lawmakers of ancient India
who classified people into various caste categories. These scientists and
philosophers were inclined to find scientific justification for social
inequality that fit into a mechanical world view based on natural laws
and natural causes at the level of biology. On this basis, under the bio
centric model, persons with disabilities are positioned as 'abnormal' in

Comparison to the established norms of a normal human being In its

harshest forms, the bio centric model treats disabled persons as
undeserving and dangerous. This association of disability with pathology
and danger formed the rationale for custodial model of care, which
unfortunately, continues to dominate the current law, policy and practice

3 The Functional Model

In the functional approach to disability the difficulties experienced by a

person are seen as arising from a mismatch between the individual's
biological condition and functional capacities on the one hand and
environmental and situational factors on the other.

In comparison to the bio-centric model, which tries to prevent or cure

the impairment, the functional model tends to treat the perceived
incapacity of the disabled individual through services and supports,
which are aimed at making the individual as functional as possible This
involves compensation rather than cure, in order for people to live lives
that are as normal possible.

Such an understanding has been instrumental in establishing

rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities throughout the world.
Services such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy including
training in daily living skills, pre-vocational skills, functional
assessments, counselling and job training are some important elements
of prevalent rehabilitation programmes

4. Human Rights Model

The human rights model petition disability as an important dimension of

human culture, and it affirms that all human beings respective of their
disabilities have certain rights which are inalienable By emphasising that
the disabled are equally entitled to rights as others, this model builds
upon the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948,
according to which, all human beings are born free and equal in rights
and dignity.
UNIT-2: LEGAL AND POLICY PERSPECTIVES
IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL DECLARATIONS/CONVENTIONS/
PROCLAMATIONS

Biwako Millennium Framework (BME, 1993-2012)

 The convention held in Japan on Oct.2002, Biwako
Millennium action towards an Inclusive, Barrier- free and
right based society for persons with disabilities in Asia and
the Pacific is shortly known as BMF.
 The convention proclaimed the extension of Asian and
Pacific decade of disabled persons 1993-2002 for another
decade of 2003-2012
 The convention identifies seven area of priority, contains
critical issues, targets and the action required,

1. Self help organisations of persons with disabilities and

related families and parental association
2. Women with disability
3. Early detection early intervention and education
4. Training and employment, including self employment
5. Access to built environment and public transport
6. Access to information and communication technologies.
7. Poverty alleviation through capacity building, social security
and sustainable livelihood programmes
Principles and policy directions of BMF
1 .Enforce legislation and policies, including persons with all
disabilities in all areas
2. Include disability dimensions in all new and existing laws,
policies programmes and schemes
3. Establish and strengthen the national level coordination
committee
4. Ensure that the disabled persons are an integral part of efforts
to achieve Millennium development goals.
5. Strengthen the national capacity in the analysis concerning
disability statistics
6. Adopt policies of early intervention
7. Strengthen community-based approaches in the prevention of
causes of disability, rehabilitation and equalisation of
opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Salamanca statement and Framework of action 1994
 The world conference held in Salamanca, Spain on Special
Needs Education agreed a dynamic new statement on the
education for disabled children, which called for inclusion
to be the norm.
 The guiding principle of its framework of action is that
ordinary schools should accommodate all children
regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional,
linguistic or other conditions.
 Focused on education for all.
 For achieving education for all, the conference
recommended that, regular schools with Inclusive
orientation are the most effective means of combating
discriminatory attitudes. creating welcoming communities,
building an Inclusive society and to ultimately improve the
cost effectiveness of entire education system
Recommendations to the Government are
 Give the highest policy and budgetary priority to improve
education services
 Develop demonstration projects and encourage exchanges
with countries with Inclusive schools
 Ensure that organisation of disabled persons, along with
parents and community bodies are involved in planning and
decision making.
 Put greater efforts to pre-school strategies as well as
vocational aspects of Inclusive education.
  Ensure that both initial and in service teacher training
address the provision of Inclusive education
The Framework for action concludes with inclusion and
participation are essential to human dignity and to the enjoyment
and exercise of human rights". So Special Needs Education
incorporates proven methods of teaching from which all children
can benefit and human differences are normal and also learning
must be adapted to the needs of the children rather than the child
fitted to the process.
Educational provisions in the UN Convention on
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) 2006

 This convention recommends its parties to promote,

protect, and ensure the full enjoyment of human
rights by persons with disability und ensure that they
enjoy full equality under law,
On 13 dec 2006, UN general assembly formally adopted
UNCRPD as one of the core international human rights
convention .India adopted this on 1Oct 2007.
 Right to education
The UNCRPD states that persons with disabilities
should be guaranteed the right to Inclusive education at
all levels, regardless of age, without discrimination ad on
the basis of equal opportunity
States Parties should ensure that:

1. Children with disabilities are not excluded from free

and compulsory primary education, or from secondary
education
2. Adults with disabilities have access to general tertiary
education, vocational training, adult education and
lifelong learning:

3. Persons with disabilities receive the necessary: support,

within the general education system, to facilitate their
effective education, and
4. Effective individualized support measures are put in
place to maximize academic and social development

States Parties should take appropriate measures such

as:

1. Endorsing the learning of Braille, alternative script,

augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats
of communication and orientation and mobility skills, and
facilitating peer support and mentoring,
2. Supporting the learning of sign language and
promoting the linguistic identity of the deaf community:
3. advocating that education of persons particularly
children who are blind and/or deaf, is delivered in the
most appropriate languages and means of communication
for the individuals and
 4. Employing teachers, including teachers with
disabilities, who are qualified in sign language and or
Braille, and to train education professionals and staff
about disability awareness, use of augmentative and
alternative modes and formats of communication and
educational techniques and materials to support persons
with disabilities
DISABILITY AND INDIA
As per National Sample Survey Organisations (NSSO) nearly 10.63%
of our population is suffering more than one disability. Exclusion from
classroom marks the beginning of a life time exclusion from mainstream
society. So education must be of high quality, available equally and
allow the child to flourish according to their own talents and interests.
The Indian law and disability
Under part IV of Indian constitution, the directive principles of state
policy have been catalogued the need to be realised over a period of time
Article 21A.
Guarantees education us fundamental right
86 constitutional amendment act 2002 (Article 51 A)
makes it mandatory for the government to provide free and compulsory
education to all children of age between 6- 14 years, with its preamble
clarifies that all includes children with disability as well.
Article 41
The state shall within the limits of economic capacity and development
make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and
to public assistance in case of unemployment, old age. sick and
disablement
Article 46
The state shall promote with special care the educational and
economic interest of the weaker sections of the people and in particular
of the SC and ST

5 th Five year plan

  Introduces the policy of reservation in jobs for persons with
disabilities in 1977
 • Formulation of scheme of IED integrated education for disabled
children) in 1976

The Indian parliament has adopted the following legal and policy
actions for the upliftment of the disabled

1. RCI Act 1992

2. PWD Act 1995
3 NTA

1. The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI)Act 1992

The Rehabilitation Council of India was set up by the government of

India in 1986.

 It is a society to regulate and standardize training policies and

programmes in the field of rehabilitation of persons with
disabilities
 The Indian parliament enhanced the status of Council to a statutory
body on 22 June 1993 with the following aims
1 .To standardise training courses for professionals dealing with
disability
2. To prescribe minimum standard of education and training of
various categories of professionals dealing with persons with disabilities
 3. To regulate these standards in all training institutes various
categories of professionals dealing with persons with disabilities
4. To promote research in rehabilitation and special education
5. To maintain central rehabilitation register for registration of
professionals

• RCI regulates training standards for 16 categories of rehabilitation

workers. The council is proactively promoting training and research
initiatives utilizing experience of specialised as well as mainstream
academic institutions.
2. Persons with Disabilities (Equal opportunities, Protection of
rights and full participation) Act 1995. PWD Act 1995

 Passed by the parliament on 12 Dec. 1995

 Suggests that the people with disabilities had the right to equal
opportunities, and all participation and that their right would be
protected by law
 The act elaborates duties of government at various levels and
other establishments under their control
 The Act is arranged in three parts.
1. Part 1 - chapter to 4. - Administrative arrangements for
implementation
2. Part II chapter. 5 to 1| - Substantive rights and correlated
obligations
3. Part III. - Mechanisms for monitoring of act in centre and
state

Briefing of chapters
  The disabilities identified under this act are blind, low vision.
Leprosy cured, hearing impaired. locomotors disabilities, mental
retardation and mental illness.
 The act specifies the minimum degree of disability as 40% to
entitled as disabled
 The Authority to certify the disability should be a medical board
comprising 3 specialists from a govt hospital.
 The act establishes the central and state coordination issues Of
PWD b) advice central government in formulating policies,
programmes committee, a) for addressing the c) for analysing
causes of disability and to organise effective and legislation
schemes and programmes. D) For monitoring and evaluating the
impact of policies and programmes implemented.
 Part 11 discuss the following categories
Chap. 5- education, chap. 6- employment, chap. 7- affirmative
action, chap. 8- non discrimination, chap.9- research and manpower
development, chap. 10- recognition of institutions of PWD. chap. 11-
institutions for persons with severe disabilities

 Monitoring mechanisms includes office of chief commissioner and

state commissioner. Their duties include coordination of all
activities, monitoring the utilization of fund. submitting the timely
reports to central government.
 . Under rule 40 of PWD act a procedure for filing complaints has
been provided. So it is the responsibility of government to provide
persons with disabilities aids and appliances which reduce or
eliminate the limitations on functions imposed by the disabilities

Definitions of disabilities as per Chapter 1 in Part I of PWD Act is

given below
1."Blindness" refers to a condition where a person suffers from any of
the following conditions, namely:

a. Total absence of sight

b. Visual acuity not exceeding 6/60 or 20/200(Snellen) in the correcting

lenses better eye with correcting lenses

c. Limitation of the field of vision subtending an angle of 20 degrees or

worse
2. Persons with low vision means a person with impairment of visual
functioning even after treatment.

3 Hearing impairment means loss of sixty decibels or more in the

conversational range of frequencies better ear in the conversational
range of frequencies.

4. Mental retardation means a condition of arrested or incomplete

development of mind of a person which is specially characterized by sub
normality of intelligence.

5. Locomotors disability means disability of bones, joints or muscles

leading to substantial restriction of the movement of limbs or any form
of cerebral palsy.
6. Mental illness means any mental disorder other than mental
retardation
7. Leprosy cured person means any person who has been cured of
leprosy but is suffering from loss of sensation, insufficient mobility of
hands and feet etc.
THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR WELFARE OF PERSONS
WITH AUTISM, CEREBRAL PALSY, MENTAL
RETARDATION AND MULTIPLE DISABILITIES ACT,
1999

Objectives of the Act

This Act provides for the constitution of a national body for the Welfare
of Persons with Autism. Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and
Multiple Disabilities. Such a national body will be a trust whose objects
shall be as under:
(a) To enable and empower persons with disability to live as
independently and as fully as possible within and as close to the
community to which they belong;

(b) To strengthen facilities to provide support to persons with disability

to live within their own families.
(c)To extend support to registered organisation to provide need based
services during the period of crisis in the family of persons with
disability.
(d) To deal with problems of persons with disability who do not have
family support:

(e) To promote measures for the care and protection of persons with
disability in the event of death of their parent or guardian;
(f) To evolve procedure for the appointment of guardian and trustee for
persons with disability requiring such protection;

(g) To facilitate the realization of equal opportunities, protection of

rights and full participation of persons with disability, and
(h) To do any other act which is incidental to the aforesaid objects. The
Act received the assent of the President on 30th December, 1999 and
extends to the whole of India.
Definitions

(a) Autism means a condition of uneven skill development primarily

affecting the communication and social abilities of a person, marked by
repetitive and ritualistic behaviour
(b) "Cerebral palsy" means a group of non-progressive conditions of a
person characterised by abnormal motor control posture resulting from
brain insult or injuries occurring in the prenatal, perinatal or infant
period of development

(c) "Mental retardation" means a condition of arrested or incomplete

development of mind of a person which is specially characterised by sub
normality of intelligence,
(d) "Multiple disabilities" means a combination of two or more
disabilities as defined in clause of section 2 of the Persons with
Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full
Participation) Act, 1995. These are blindness, low vision, leprosy cured,
hearing impairment, loco motor disability, mental retardation and mental
illness;
(e) "person with disability" means a person suffering from any of the
conditions relating to autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation or a
combination of any two or more of such conditions and includes a
person suffering from severe multiple disability:
(f) "Professional" means a person who is having special expertise in a
field which would promote the welfare of persons with disability:

g) "Registered organisation" means an association of persons with

disability or an association of parents of persons with disability or a
voluntary organisation, as the case may be, registered under section 12
of this Art;
(h) "Severe disability" means disability with eighty percent or more of
one or more of multiple disabilities:

(i)"Trust" means the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism.
Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disability constituted
under sub-section (1) of section 3 of this Act.
Registration of Associations with the Board
Any Association of persons with disability or any association of
parents of disabled persons or voluntary organizations can apply to the
Board for registration. If application is genuine and is accompanied with
necessary documents and fees, the association will be registered. Upon
registration, the association can have access to or obtain copy of any
book and documents maintained by the Board. The Board will determine
the pre-funding status of registered organizations seeking financial
assistance in accordance with regulations. The Board will also hold
every year a meeting of registered organizations
Local Level Committees

The Board will have to constitute Local Level Committees for different
areas comprising of District Magistrate or the District Commissioner
along with one representative from a registered organization and a
person with disability for a period of three years to act as a Local Level
Committee. These Local Level Committees have to meet least once in
three months.

Appointment of Guardian for Persons with Disability

A parent or relative of a person with disability may apply to the Local

Level Committee for appointment of a guardian/or a person with
disability. A registered organisation can also make such an application
with consent of the natural guardian of the disabled person. The Local
Level Committee will examine whether the person with disability needs
a guardian and for what purpose and also lay down the duties of the
guardian. The guardian will be responsible for the maintenance of the
person with disability. The guardian will also submit to the Local Level
Committee inventory and annual accounts of the property and assets,
claims and liabilities in respect of such person with disability. A
guardian so appointed can be removed for negligence or for
misappropriating the property of the person with disability
National Policy on Education 1986/1992.

Evaluation Process and Examination Reforms: The Policy visualized

integration of the assessment of performance with the process of
learning and teaching, and utilizing the process of evaluation to bring
about qualitative change in education. In order to ensure the student's
performance, the assessment methods must be valid and reliable. The
following short term measures had been proposed by the NPE and POA;
1. Public examinations will continue to be held only at the levels of
classes X and XII,
II. Decentralization of the operation involved in the conduct of
examinations to make the system work more effectively.
III. School boards in certain States have set up a number of sub centres
to decentralize the conduct of examinations. Adoption of similar
measures by other States will be pursued. IV. At the university level
continuous institutional evaluation will be introduced at the post
graduate level, to begin with, in unitary universities, deemed universities
and autonomous colleges.
V. Students' performance will be indicated through letter grades, and
assessment of overall performance will be on the basis of cumulative
grade point average
VI. Modifications in the qualifying recruitments for admission in the
universities and colleges will be examined to accelerate the process of
change in the level of examinations.

The Programme of Action (POA) suggested

several specific short-term and long-term measures for carrying out
examination reform at the school level as well at the university level.
(a) Elementary Stage:
 1. Since no detention policy is envisaged at the primary stage, the
main function of evaluation will be diagnostic in nature so as to provide
remedial help to the pupils.
2. The concerned agency in c state prepare a flexible scheme of
Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) at the elementary stage,
so as to make the evaluation process an integral part of teaching and
learning at this stage.
(b) Secondary Stage:
1. In each state, the concerned agency will prepare a flexible
scheme of continuous comprehensive Examination for the
secondary/senior secondary stage to suit a variety of specific situations
obtaining in different regions and types of schools. Certain models have
been developed by NCERT and other agencies which could be looked
into for guidance.
(c) Higher Education Stage:
1. Selection tests for admissions to all professional and technical
courses will be conducted on an all-India basis.
2. Each University will prepare broad guidelines for grading to be
followed by individual colleges/ institutions and departments under its
jurisdiction. Orientation programmes may be organised to familiarize the
teachers with the grading system.
3. The movement towards entrance tests for admission to
institutions of higher education will be encouraged and promoted by
UGC and State Government. The services of the National Evaluation
Organisation (NEO) should be utilized by the university system for
developing, designing and administering entrance tests for admission.
Besides the above strategies for different stages, the POA (1986) has
also envisaged the following strategies which are common for all
stages:
1. The emphasis will be laid on testing of expected levels of
achievement of a variety of learning objectives in order to ensure due
importance to higher abilities of understanding, application, analysis,
synthesis, judgment and parallel parameters and not only to memory.
2. The Semester system introduced at the secondary stage and onwards
should provide for flexibility in the combination of courses and
accumulation of credits to enable the pupils to proceed at their own pace
resulting in upward and horizontal mobility of the students across the
country.
3. Appropriate courses in examination reform will be developed by
Indira Gandhi National Open University through distance education
mode in collaboration with NCERT for large scale training of different
kinds and levels of personal.
4. An Examination Reform Centre will be established at the UGC for
coordination, documentation and dissemination of information one
examination reforms in higher education. Similarly, NCERT would
perform this function at school stage.
5. Some laws will be introduced in the legislation regarding various
malpractices connected with examinations. Such laws will make
provision to prescribe the nature and type of punishment for various
offences under the law.
6. A strong and coordinated effort should be made by the Centre and
State Government regarding the monitoring and evaluation of the
reforms in examinations and evaluation. Following up on NPE, 1986,
NCERT conducted a National Seminar on Examination Reforms and
issued certain guidelines to the States, principally covering the subjects
of scaling and grading, continuous comprehensive internal evaluation,
setting up of balanced question papers etc
Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) 1974
In 1974 Government of India launched the scheme under the
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which was later shifted to
Ministry of Human Resource Development. The scheme intends to
provide educational opportunities to students with disabilities in regular
schools and facilitate their retention through resource support in the
schools. Children with disabilities in the age group of 15-18 years are
provided free education under different heads, Assistance for all the
items are covered in the scheme on 100% basis but assistance for the
programme would be conditional on prior creation of technically
qualified staff as laid down in the Scheme.
Scheme of IEDSS (Integrated Education for Disabled Children at
Senior Secondary Stage)
Aim of IEDSS is to
1. Enable all students with disabilities completing eight years of
elementary schooling an opportunity to complete four years of
secondary schooling (classes IX to XII) in an inclusive and enabling
environment.
2. Provide educational opportunities and facilities to students with
disabilities in the general education system at the secondary level
(classes IX to XII). Support the training of general school teachers to
meet the needs of children with disabilities at the secondary level.
Objectives of IEDSS
1. Every child with disability will be identified at the secondary level
and his educational need assessed.
2. Every student in need of aids and appliances, assistive devices, will be
provided the same
3. All architectural barriers in schools are removed so that students with
disability have access to classrooms, laboratories, libraries and toilets in
the school.
4. Each student with disability will be supplied learning material as per
his/ her requirement
5. All general school teachers at the secondary level will be provided
basic training to teach students with disabilities within a period of three
to five years.
6. Students with disabilities will have access to support services like the
appointment of special educators, establishment of resource rooms in
every block,
7. Model schools are set up in every state to develop good replicable
practices in inclusive education
Target Group
The scheme will cover all children of age 14+ passing out of elementary
schools and studying in secondary stage in Government, local body and
Government-aided schools, with one or more disabilities as defined
under the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) and the National Trust
Act (1999) in the age group 14+ to 18+ (classes IX to XII), namely
1) Blindness
2) Low vision
3) Leprosy cured
4) Hearing impairment
5) Loco motor disabilities
6) Mental retardation
7) Mental Illness
8) Autism
9) Cerebral Palsy
It may eventually cover (1) Speech impairment () Learning Disabilities,
etc. Girls with disabilities will receive special focus and efforts would be
made under the scheme to help them gain access to secondary schools,
as also to information and guidance for developing their potential
This is a centrally sponsored scheme under which the Central
Government will assist the States/Union Territories and autonomous
bodies of stature in the field of education in its implementation on the
basis of the criteria laid down.
The Scheme will include assistance for two kinds of components:
1. Student-oriented components
It is proposed to provide assistance to States Union Territories /
Autonomous bodies @ Rs.3000/- per disabled child per annum for
specified items, on the pattern of SSA which provides assistance @ Rs.
!200/- per disabled child per annum for the elementary level. (This rate
was fixed in 2001-2002). This amount of Rs.3000/- per disabled child
per annum may be spent on the following components:
(1) Identification and assessment of children with disabilities. The
assessment team may include an interdisciplinary expert team of special
educators, clinical psychologists, therapists, doctors and any other
professional support based on the student’s needs
(2) Provision of aids and appliances to all students with disabilities
needing them
(3) Access to learning material ensuring that each disabled student will
have access to learning material as per his/her requirement like Braille
textbooks, audiotapes, talking books etc
(4) Provision of facilities like transport facilities, hostel facilities,
scholarships, books, uniforms, assistive devices, support staff
(5) Stipend for girl students with disabilities they be given a stipend @
Rs.200 per month at the secondary level
(6)The use of ICT
(7) Development of teaching learning material
(8) External support from an interdisciplinary team of experts such as
educational psychologists, speech and occupational therapists,
physiotherapists, mobility instructors and medical experts has to be
coordinated at the local level.
2. Other components
1. Removal of architectural barriers to ensure that students with
disabilities have access to each classroom, laboratory, library and toilet
in the school.
2. Training of special/ general school teachers, Special teachers to be
trained through regular programmes run by the National Institutes/Apex
Institutes of RCI or under any other programme of the States. There
should be a component of in-service training for resource teachers to
equip them with handling of other disability area.
3. Orientation of principals, educational administrators: This training
will include developing strategies for management of inclusive
education.
4. Strengthening of training institutions and assistance to existing
organization/NGOs to develop teacher's training programme in inclusive
schooling and for educational interventions for specific disabilities.
5. Provision of resource rooms and equipment for the resource rooms in
one school per block/urban cluster Norms in terms of size, accessible
features will be developed with the support of relevant agencies at the
Central and State level
6. Appointment of special educators
7. Development of some existing schools as Model Inclusive Schools so
as to accelerate the process of education of children and youth with
disabilities with initiatives from parents, teachers, community and
respective governments
8. Administration, Research & Development, and Monitoring &
Evaluation
9. Environment Building Programmes up to Rs. 10,000/- per programme
at local level.
Other support
At the secondary level, all children with disabilities included under the
general education system may not require adaptations in the teaching
learning process and evaluation procedures. However there may be some
who would require some adaptations, The States/UTs/ Autonomous
bodies can take the support of special teachers, SCERTS, DIETs.
Special Schools, Resource Centres, Non-Governmental Organizations,
State Boards and any other community institutions available at the local
level for this purpose.
Adaptations in Examination procedures. The existing evaluation
procedures can be reviewed at the State level and modified accordingly
Provision for alternative modes of examination for children and youth
with disabilities should be considered and provided by the Boards of
Examination. This is being visualized mainly as a process of issuing
appropriate orders and notifications by the Boards concerned. Separate
budget as such is not planned under the scheme.
IEDC 2000
Integration and assimilation

With this objective of “ Education for All”, and with a purpose of

integrating the physically and mentally challenged people in the society
as equal members, the government of India has brought about a scheme
known as Integrated Education for Disabled Children(IEDC). The
overall aim of the program is to enable such people to face life
courageously and develop a level of self confidence thus bringing them
into mainstream of the society. IEDC is a centrally sponsored scheme
which aims to provide Educational Opportunities to the “not so abled”
children.

It has been regarded as one of the major initiatives from the Government
of India to promote “integrated education”. This program was initiated
in 1974 by the Ministry of Welfare, Central Government. Under this
program children were to be provided with financial support for books,
stationery, school uniforms, transportation, special equipment and aids.
The state governments were provided with 50 percent of the financial
assistance to implement this program in regular schools. But due to
certain limitations and shortcomings like non-availability of trained and
experienced teachers, lack of awareness of the problems of disabled
children and their educational needs, and non-availability of equipment
and educational materials, the program met with little success. Moreover
there was a lack of coordination among the various departments for its
proper implementation.

The IEDC program was revised in 1992. In the revised program 100
percent assistance was available to schools involved in the “integration”
of students with disabilities. Various NGO’s are also now fully funded
to implement the program. IEDC is being implemented in almost all the
States and Union Territories.

Teacher training program

 This involves a three-level training approach:
 a five day orientation course for all the teachers in the regular schools
 six-week intensive training course for 10 percent of the teachers
 one-year multi-category training program for eight to ten regular
school teachers

Now improved program planning and better management skills are

available to teachers. The capacity of various states to implement
integration programs has been enhanced. Both regular school teachers
and students have become more receptive toward students with
disabilities which seem quite encouraging.
Expenses and allowance

A disabled child may be given the following kinds of facilities at the

rates prevalent in the State/UT concerned:
 Actual expenses on books and stationery up to RS 400 per annum.
 Actual expenses on uniform up to RS 200 per annum.
 Transport allowance up to RS 50 per month. If a disabled child
admitted under the scheme resides in the school hostel within the
school premises, no transportation charges would be admissible.
 Reader allowance of RS 50 per month in case of blind children after
Class V.
 Scort allowance for severely handicapped with lower extremity
disability at the rate of RS 75 per month.
 Actual cost of equipment subject to a maximum of RS 2000 per
student for a period of five years.

In the case of severely orthopedically handicapped children, one

attendant should be there for 10 children, who may be given the standard
scale of pay prescribed for Class IV employees in the State/UT
concerned.

Disabled children residing in school hostels within the same institution

where they are studying may also be paid boarding and lodging charges.
The disabled children whose parental income does not exceed RS 5000
per month may be paid actual boarding and lodging charges subject to a
maximum of RS 200 per month. However, unless the required
educational facilities are not available disabled children should generally
not be placed in hostels.

Orthopedically handicapped children residing in school hostels may

need the assistance of a helper or an “ayah”. A special pay of RS 50 per
month is admissible to any employee of the hostel willing to extend such
help to children in addition to his/her duties.

Breaking the barrier

It is mandatory remove all the architectural barriers or to modify existing

architectural facilities, so that orthopedically disabled children are
provided with an easy access to the school premises. Schools taking
initiative in this respect would also be provided grants.

State Government/UT Administrations/other implementing agencies are

also instructed to offer relaxation of rules relating to admissions,
minimum or maximum age limit for admissions, promotions,
examination procedures, etc. for improving access of the disabled
children to education. Provision for admission of disabled children older
than the normal eligibility (up to 8-9 years instead of 6 years) was
proposed.
SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN (SSA) IN TERMS OF INCLUSIVE
EDUCATION

Sarva Shikha Abhiyan ("Education for All movement) is a national

programme launched by the Government of India with the main
objective of universalisation of elementary education UEE), It is
operative in the country with the active assistance and co-operation of
the state governments, local bodies and NGOs working in this field since
2000-2001. Three important aspects of UEE are access, enrolment and
retention of all children in 6-14 years of age. The programme was
pioneered by our former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The state
governments, including the Union territories, get a quite substantial
amount as assistance or implementation this national campaign for
providing education to all children with no discrimination of any kind.
This programme for realising its mission adopts a zero rejection policy
and wants to provide access, enrolment and retention to every child in
the system of elementary education through the adoption of suitable
ways and means.
For providing legal tooth for the success of its Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan, Government of India has brought out a legislative measure
known as Right to Education Act, 2009 emphasising free and
compulsory elementary education as a fundamental right for all the
children in the age group of 6-14 years. The introduction of this Act has
ensured the required access, enrolment245 retention of all children in the
system of school education for the realisation of the main (UEE) of the
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
Right from the very beginning, the SSA has been focusing on the
special group children, who were facing barriers and negligence or
exclusion from the mainstream of school education or rather being
denied access to education for one or the other reasons. Such special
focus groups marked under SSA were (i) girls. (ii) SC and ST children,
(iii) children with special needs (CWSN), (iv) urban deprived children,
(v) children in difficult circumstances street children, migrant children,
etc.
SSA will ensure that every child with special needs, irrespective of
the kind, category and degree of disability, is provided education in an
appropriate environment. SSA will adopt Zero Rejection Policy so that
no child is left out of the education system.
ZERO REJECTION POLICY OR MULTI OPTION POLICY
 Regular School
 Education Guarantee School/ Alternative and Innovative Education
 Home based Education
The greatest challenge is encountered from the CWSN or disabled
for the implementation of the zero rejection policy. The SSA is adopting
multi-model approach for reaching the CWSN or disabled for getting
them enrolled in the system of education by adopting various
alternatives like below
(i) Providing assistance and support to regular school for the inclusion of
disabled children.
(ii) Running the Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS), which is meant for
addressing the inaccessible habitation where there is no formal school
with in the radius of one kilometre and at least 15-25 children of 6-14
years age group who are not going to school are available.
(iii) Providing alternative education interventions (AFI) for specific
categories of very deprived children, e.g. child labour, street children,
migrating children, working children, children living in difficult
circumstances etc.
(iv) Adopting bridge courses and back to school camps strategies for
enabling the children return to the mainstream of schooling. It is meant
for the children who did not join the school or dropped out before
completing their schooling or do not fit into the system of regular school
due to their exceptional disabilities or in capabilities.
(v) Facilitating home-based education for the CWSN or disabled.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Inclusive Education

Sarva Shikha Abhiyan supported with RTE, stands for providing
quality elementary education to all with no discrimination of any kind.
The inclusive set-up of a regular school also stands to embrace all,
including the disabled in the mainstream of the school, and provide them
education for their utmost development and adjustment in the life. In this
way, both of them are found to serve the same objective. The major
contributions and participatory roles of the SSA in this regard may be
summarised as under
1. Providing policy support: The SSA through its zero rejection policy
is supporting the philosophy of inclusion. We know that neighbourhood
regular schools can only be the proper place for the schooling of
children, especially for the disable marginalised, and thus, adoption of
inclusive school system may help well in realising the goal of the SSA in
a quite appropriate way. That is why we may see that SSA is providing a
major thrust on inclusion or mainstreaming of CWSN.
2. Providing active support: The SSA has been equipped with financial
budget to help and assist the task of implementing the policy of inclusive
education. The special help provided by the SSA for the inclusion of
children with disabilities or special needs in this concern may be to
involve the tasks and activities related to the following areas:
(i) Surveys for identification of CWSN
(ii) Functional and formal assessment of the CWSN
(iii) Their appropriate educational placement
(iv) Preparation of Individualised Educational Plan (IEP)
(v) Providing assistive devices
(vi) Tracing teacher on inclusive education
(vii) Appointment of resource teacher
(viii) Parental training and community mobilisation
(ix) Planning and management of inclusive education
(x) Curricular adaptation/textbooks/appropriate teaching-learning
material
(xi) Strengthening of special schools for providing needed help to
regular schools a resource centre
(xii) Barrier-free access
(xiii) Research in the area of inclusive education and CWSN
(xiv) Monitoring and evaluation of the progress of inclusive education
(xv) Special focus on girls with special needs/disabilities
(xvi) Networking with NGOs/government schemes.
Reflection on the Work Done under SSA

 A few states have conducted residential bridge courses for CWSN

or disabled with the main objective of preparing CWSN for their
proper inclusion in the neighbourhood school. They are taking the
help of NGOs, and resource teachers especially recruited by the
district SSA societies for this purpose.
 In some states, the education and adjustment of the CWSN is
covered through the Education Guarantee Scheme being run in
these states.
 Some states have taken the services of the SSA for the adoption of
the home-based education for children with severe-profound
disabilities with the objective of either preparing CWSN for
schools or for life imparting to the basic living skills. They have
taken the help of NGOS or appointed volunteers for this purpose.
 In addition to the adoption of one or the other model for the
needed preparation of the CWSN for their proper inclusion in the
regular schools, the SSA programmes running in the states of the
country are trying to provide needed resource support for the
inclusion of CWSN in the mainstream of the regular schools. This
aspect has been taken care in the SSA mainly through NGOs,
inclusive education resource teachers, volunteers or by imparting
long-term training to regular teacher on inclusion, providing
barrier-free access and equipping the disabled with the needed
assistive and adaptive devices.
REHABILITATION COUNCIL OF INDIA (RCI)

The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) was initially set up as a

registered society in 1986 in pursuance of the National Policy on
Education (1986). However, it was soon realised that a society could not
ensure proper standardisation and acceptance of the standards by other
organisation working the field of education and rehabilitation of the
disabled. As a consequence, the Government of India brought out a
legislative provision duly passed by the Parliament on September 1992
in the form of an Act, known as the RCI Act, 1992 for the establishment
and functioning of a statutory body named as "Rehabilitation Council of
India (RCD). Accordingly, the present Rehabilitation Council of India
officially came into existence as a statutory body on 22nd June, 1993
The RCI Act was amended by the Parliament in 2000 to make it more
functionable and comprehensive. The Act has provided arms to RCI
(i) to regulate and monitor services given to persons with
disability,
(ii) to standardise syllabi and
(iii) to maintain a Central Rehabilitation Register of all qualified
professionals and personnel working in the field of
Rehabilitation and Special Education. The Act also prescribes
punitive action against unqualified persons delivering services
to persons with disability

Organisational Structure of the RCI (Including the Amendment,

2000)

(a) a Chairperson from amongst the persons having experience in

administration with professional qualification in the field of
rehabilitation, disabilities and special education, to be appointed by the
Central Government:

(b) Such number of members not exceeding seven, as may be nominated

by the Central Government, to represent the Ministries of the Central
Government dealing with matters relating to persons with disabilities:
(c) One member to be appointed by the Central Government to represent
the University Grants Commission:
(d) One member to be appointed by the Central Government to
represent the Directorate General of Indian Council of Medical
Research;

(e) Two members to be appointed by the Central Government to

represent the Ministry or department of the States or the union territories
dealing with social welfare by rotation in alphabetical order:

(f)Such number of members not exceeding six as may be appointed by

the Central Government from amongst the rehabilitation professionals
working in voluntary organisations;
(g) Such number of members not exceeding four as may be appointed
by the Central Government from amongst the medical practitioners
enrolled under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and engaged in
rehabilitation of the handicapped:
(h) Three Members of Parliament of whom two shall be elected by the
House of the People and one by the Council of States:
(i) Such number of members not exceeding three as may be nominated
by the Central Government from amongst the social workers who are
actively engaged in assisting the disabled:
(i)the Member-Secretary, ex officio (Appointed by Central
Government).
Objectives and Functions Served by RCI
1. The first important objective served by the RCI is concerned with the
Regulation of training programmes and courses targeted at disabled,
disadvantaged and special education requirement.
For the realisation of this objective, the RCI
a. Develops syllabi, and courses for the institutions running programmes
for the training of personnel/teachers associated with the education,
adjustment and welfare of the disabled.
b. Tries to maintain quality and standard in these institutions through
prescribing scheme of evaluation and follow-up and arranging for the
inspection of their functioning
2. The second important objective served by the RCI is to maintain the
Central Rehabilitation Register which mainly documents details of all
qualified professionals who operate and deliver training and educational
programmes for the disabled or work as a rehabilitational professionals.
For this realisation of this objective, the RCI
(I) Invites applications from the individuals who are interested in getting
RCI's accreditation for being enrolled as trainer, teacher or rehabilitation
professional. The persons who can apply for RCI accreditation in this
concern are specified as below:
• Prosthetists and orthotists
• Audiologists and speech therapists
• Clinical psychologists
• Rehabilitation counsellors, administrators
 Rehabilitation workshop managers
  Rehabilitation psychologists
 Rehabilitation social workers
 • Rehabilitation practitioners in mental retardation
 • Speech Pathologists
 Special teachers for educating and training the handicapped
 Vocational counsellors, employment officers and placement
officers
 Multipurpose rehabilitation therapists, technicians
 Orientation and mobility specialists
 Hearing and ear mould technicians
 Rehabilitation engineers and technicians

(ii) A close scrutiny of the information and documents submitted by the

candidates is then carried out at the hands of the RCI in the light of the
prescribed qualifications and other requirements as standardised by it for
the purpose. The professionals that fit into the standard are then enrolled
in the national register of qualified rehabilitation and trainin professional
for being allowed to give their services for the education, training and
rehabilitation of the disabled.

3. The third objective served by the RCI is to make efforts for promoting
research in rehabilitation and special education by acting as a nodal
agency for providing grants, advice and assistance to persons and
institutions engaged in this venture.
EDUCATION OF THE CHILDREN WITH
DISABILITY IN RIGHT TO EDUCATION ACT,
2009-RTE ACT 2009

The Right to Education Act, 2009 is a legislative measure and act

enacted by the Parliament of India aimed to provide for free and
compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years.
It received the assent of the President on 26th August, 2009 and
published in the Gazette of India on 27th August, 2009. Its enforcement
and functioning rests with the Legislative department of the Ministry of
Law and Justice, Government of India. As a written document, the RTE
Act, 2009 is divided into seven chapters named as below

I. Preliminary (providing legal meanings to the terms used in

the Act)
II. Right to Free and Compulsory Education
III. Duties of Appropriate Government, Local Authorities
and Parents.
IV. Responsibilities of Schools and Teachers
V. Curriculum and Completion of Elementary Education
VI. . Protection of Rights of Children
VII. Miscellaneous In the end, a schedule has also been
provided enlisting norms and standards for a school supposed
to implement the RTI.
For a detailed description of the provisions of the Act,
readers may go through all the 13 pages of this written
document available on Internet at the Website of the Ministry of
Law and Justice, Government of India or may get a printed copy
from the publication department of Government of India.
 However, the main provisions lying in this Act, particularly in
reference to the education of the children with disability may be
outlined as
1. Right of child to free and compulsory education: Every
child of the age six to fourteen years shall have a right to free
and compulsory education in a neighbourhood school till
completion of elementary education.
2. Special provision for children not admitted to, or who have
not completed elementary education: Where a child above six years of
age has not been admitted in any school or though admitted, could not
complete his or her elementary education, then, he or she shall be
admitted in a class appropriate to his or her age. Provided that where a
child is directly admitted in a class appropriate to his or her age, then, he
or she shall, in order to be at par with others, have a right to receive
special training, in such manner, and within such time-limits, as may be
prescribed. Provided further, that a child, so admitted to elementary
education, shall be entitled to free education till completion of
elementary education even after fourteen years,
3. Right of transfer to other school:

(i) Where in a school, there is no provision for completion of

elementary education; a child shall have a right to seek
transfer to any other school, excluding the school belonging
to a specified category and an unaided school not receiving
any kind of grants to meet its expenses from the appropriate
government and local authority.
(ii) Where a child is required to move from one school to
another either within a state or outside for any reason
whatsoever, such child shall have the right to seek transfer to
 any other school excluding the school belonging to specific
category or an unaided school.
4. Duty of appropriate government or local authority to establish
a school: For carrying out the provisions of this Act, the appropriate
government and local authorities shall establish, within such area or
limits of neighbourhood as may be prescribed a school where it is not so
established within a period of three years from the commencement of
this Act. The Central Government and the

5. Sharing of financial and responsibilities: other State Government

shall have concurrent responsibility for providing funds for carrying out
the provision of this Act.
6. Duty of parents and guardians: It shall be the duty of every parent
or guardian as the case may be, to an to admit or cause to be admitted his
or her child or ward, elementary education in the neighbourhood school.
7. Appropriate government to provide for pre-school education:
With a view to preparing children above the age of three years for
elementary education and to provide early childhood-care and education
for all children until they complete the age of six years, the appropriate
government may make necessary arrangement for providing free pre-
school education for such children.
8. Extent of school's responsibility for free and compulsory
education: For the purpose of this Act, a school
(a) Established, owned and controlled by the appropriate shall provide
free and compulsory elementary education to all children admitted
government or local authority therein.

(b) Receiving aid or grants to meet whole or parts of its expenses from
the government or local authority shall provide free and compulsory
elementary education to such proportion of children admitted therein as
its annual recurring aid or grants so received bears to its annual recurring
expenses, subject to minimum of twenty five percent.
(C) belonging to specific category (such as Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sainik
School, Navodaya, or owned by minorities) or unaided shall admit class
I to the extent of at least twenty-five percent of the strength of that class,
children belonging to weaker section and disadvantaged group
(including disabled) in the neighbourhood and provide free and
compulsory elementary education till completion
9. No capitation fee and screening procedure for admission: (1)
No school or person shall, while admitting a child, collect any capitation
fee and subject the child or his or her parents or guardian to any
screening procedure. (ii) Any school or person, if in contravention of the
provisions of sub-section (1): (a) receives capitation fee, shall be
punishable with fine which may extend to ten times the capitation fee
charged.

(b) Subjects a child to screening procedure shall be punishable with fine

which may extend to twenty-five thousand rupees for the first
contravention and fifty thousand rupees for each subsequent
contraventions.
10. Proof of age for admission
(i) For the purposes of admission to elementary education the age of a
child shall be determined on the basis of the birth certificate issued in
accordance with the provisions of the Births, Deaths and Marriages
Registration Act, 1886 or on the basis of such other document, as may
be prescribed.
(ii) No child shall be denied admission in a school for lack of age proof.
11. No denial of admission: A child shall be admitted in a school at the
commencement of the academic year or within such extended period as
may be prescribed. Subsequent to the extended period.
12. Prohibition of holding back and expulsion: No child admitted in a
school shall be held back in any class or expelled from school till the
completion of elementary education.

13. Prohibition of physical punishment and mental harassment to

child: No child shall be subjected to physical punishment or mental
harassment. Person breaking this rule shall be liable to disciplinary
action.
14. No school to be established without obtaining certificate of
recognition:
No school other than a school established owned or controlled by the
appropriate Government or the local authority shall after the
commencement of this Act be established or function without obtaining
a certificate of recognition from such authority by making an application
in such form and manner, as may be prescribed Provided that no such
recognition shall be granted to a school unless it fulfils norms and
standard specified for this purpose.

15. School management committee: A school (leaving the schools

specified or unaided) shall constitute a school management committee
consisting of the elected representatives of the local authority, parents or
guardians of children admitted in the school and teachers.

16. School development plan: Every school committee shall prepare a

school development plan, in such manner as may be prescribed. The
plan so prepared will work as the basis for grants sanctioned by the
appropriate government or local bodies.
17. Qualifications for appointment and terms and conditions of
service of teachers:

(i) Any person possessing such minimum qualification, as laid

down by an academic authority; authorised by the central
government, by notification, shall be eligible for appointment
as a teacher.
(ii) (ii) The salary and allowance payable to, and terms and
conditions of service of teachers shall be such as may be
prescribed.
18. Duties of teachers and redressal of their grievances
19. Prohibition of private tuition by teacher
20.Curriculum and evaluation procedure