BASIC EDUCATION IS MOST IMPORTANT

With reference to THIS SEMINAR held by MSJE
 

To

The Secretary,

Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan)

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

Government of India

New Delhi

Date: 10 March 2026

Subject: Representation on Inclusive Planning for Proposed University Townships and Strengthening Foundational Education for Persons with Disabilities.

Respected Sir,

Thank you for the invitation to view the discussions by our Hon. Prime Minister, Modiji, and the eminent speakers on YouTube.

I write to respectfully submit this representation regarding the ongoing discussions and proposals to establish university townships across India, where academic institutions are supported by nearby industries and employment ecosystems for faculty, staff, and their families.

This vision has the potential to significantly strengthen India’s higher education landscape and create vibrant academic communities. However, an important dimension that requires greater attention is inclusion and accessibility for persons with disabilities, both within these proposed townships and across the broader education system that feeds into them.

There is evidence that not many students with Disabilities make it to these premier institutes - for different reasons but mainly lack of access to strong basic education.

The observations below arise from several years of engagement in the disability sector, including direct work with schools, students, teachers, higher education institutions, and employers.

1. Accessibility as a Core Planning Principle

For university townships to be truly inclusive, accessibility must be integrated into planning and design from the outset. Academic buildings, residential facilities, public spaces, transportation systems, and digital infrastructure must comply with universal accessibility standards so that persons with disabilities—students, faculty, staff, and residents—can participate fully in campus life.

Accessibility must extend beyond physical infrastructure to include learning systems, digital platforms, evaluation methods, and academic resources so that students with different types of disabilities are able to access and complete courses on an equal basis.

Universities should also actively encourage the participation of faculty members, researchers, and professionals with disabilities within academic and administrative systems.

2. Capacity Building for Accessibility in Built and Digital Environments

For accessibility to be implemented effectively, the professionals responsible for planning and building infrastructure must have a clear understanding of accessibility standards.

At present, accessibility and its real-world implications are not being taught to professionals, professors, and students at the level necessary in architecture, civil engineering, planning, and technology education. As a result, accessibility features are often implemented incorrectly.

Even in several government and municipal buildings developed or retrofitted under accessibility initiatives, ramps are constructed with improper gradients, tactile paving is misunderstood, and digital platforms remain inaccessible.

Advocacy and training on accessibility do not yet receive the importance they deserve within professional education systems. Accessibility therefore tends to be addressed only after construction or system development is complete, leading to retrospective modifications. Such retrospective corrections not only increase costs but also create opportunities for avoidable errors and inefficiencies. In many cases, accessibility becomes an afterthought rather than a fundamental design principle.

To address this, accessibility and universal design principles should be embedded within the foundational curriculum of architecture, civil engineering, urban planning, and information technology programs, ensuring that future professionals develop inclusive design capabilities from the outset. We have trained several thousands of students and professors through our projects over the years. We began advocating Accessible building design in 2009. Many College professors and Civil Engineers haven’t read the harmonised guidelines published by the GoI, nor have Municipal Officials or Contractors. This is evident from the state of our public spaces in many cities.

3. The Foundational Challenge to the idea of better Higher Education: Basic School Education

While discussions on inclusion often focus on higher education, the most significant barriers arise much earlier in the education pipeline.

At present, only a very small number of students with disabilities reach premier institutions or universities. This is rarely due to lack of capability. Rather, it is largely because many students do not receive strong foundational education during their school years. Schools are not fully accessible in terms of physical infrastructure, teaching methodology or syllabi. This should be our starting point.

Quality education up to Class 10 and Class 12 is essential if students are to develop the academic, communication, and analytical skills necessary for higher education or skilled employment.

Without this strong foundation, even well-designed higher education systems will remain inaccessible to a large proportion of students with disabilities.

4. Teacher Training and Quality of Instruction

The quality of instruction in many special schools and inclusive schools remains a matter of concern.

Even where teachers are trained under the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), the level of teaching often does not adequately prepare students with disabilities for higher education or employment. Institutions frequently struggle with limited training resources, insufficient monitoring, and lack of accountability mechanisms for teaching staff.

There have also been instances where students in higher classes are promoted without meeting necessary academic standards, which weakens the educational base required for future academic or professional pursuits.

Strengthening teacher training, improving accountability, and ensuring academic rigour are therefore essential components of an inclusive education system.

5. Evidence from Employment Initiatives

The impact of these educational gaps becomes particularly visible during employment initiatives.

Through the organization of several job fairs in Pune in collaboration with corporates willing to employ persons with disabilities, it became evident that many candidates were unable to qualify even for entry-level roles available at these events. This situation does not arise because persons with disabilities lack ability or motivation. Rather, it reflects gaps in foundational education, communication skills, and exposure to professional environments.

Without adequate preparation during school and college years, many individuals struggle to access or even accept opportunities that employers are otherwise willing to provide.

6. Empowerment and Informed Choice

The long-term goal of educational policy must be to enable persons with disabilities to make independent and informed choices regarding their education and careers.

At present, many individuals remain dependent on NGOs or intermediaries to identify appropriate courses or employment opportunities. True empowerment requires that students have access to a wide range of academic pathways based on their abilities and interests—not limited by assumptions about disability.

This requires sustained investment in accessible schooling, inclusive higher education, skill development, and career guidance.

7. Student Engagement and Course Completion

Another challenge across several educational initiatives is the issue of course completion and sustained engagement.

In programs supported through scholarships or charitable funding, there have been instances where students enrol in courses offered at no cost but discontinue them midway. Addressing this issue requires not only providing opportunities but also promoting commitment, accountability, and sustained participation.

Educational programs must encourage the understanding that while opportunities are a right, their effective use also requires responsibility and perseverance.

*Even short skill based training programs must be delivered and received by Students with Disabilities efficiently. For this, there has to be dignity of work/labour and appreciation of opportunity on the part of the students. These values have to be taught from the start instead of charity or entitlement based support.

8. A Phased and Evidence-Based Approach

The concept of university townships is ambitious and promising. However, it may be advisable to adopt a phased and evidence-based approach to their development.

India already has numerous established universities. Strengthening the capacity of existing institutions to become fully inclusive—in terms of accessibility, faculty diversity, and student participation—could serve as an effective starting point.

Another approach may be to develop a pilot or model university township where inclusive infrastructure, accessible academic systems, and employment ecosystems are carefully implemented and evaluated before scaling nationwide.

Large-scale initiatives launched without sufficient preparation may face implementation challenges. Building such models gradually would allow lessons to be learned and applied effectively.

Vision: The Way Forward

The vision of university townships presents an opportunity to build a more inclusive higher education ecosystem in India. However, true inclusion requires attention not only to infrastructure but also to foundational education, professional training, and systemic awareness of accessibility.

By strengthening school education for students with disabilities, improving teacher training, integrating accessibility into professional education, and ensuring that advocacy and training receive the priority they deserve, India can build educational environments that enable persons with disabilities to participate fully in academic and economic life.

With thoughtful planning and sustained commitment, future university ecosystems can ensure that students with disabilities are able to enter higher education based on their abilities, pursue meaningful careers, and contribute actively to the nation’s development.

This representation is submitted in a spirit of constructive engagement and with the hope that inclusive planning will remain a central consideration in India’s evolving educational landscape.

I would greatly appreciate a meeting with the concerned officials to discuss each point in detail with examples.

Thank you for your consideration.

Best regards,

Anita

Anita Iyer Narayan
Consultant – Accessibility, Diversity & Inclusion
Founder & Managing Trustee – Ekansh Trust

Email: anitaiyer23@gmail.com  , info@ekansh.org

EKansh Trust is empanelled as Access Auditor under the AIC of the GoI.