Inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education in India: Some issues and suggestions

Abstract

Higher education has its own importance in terms of employability, political power, and national development. The Right to Persons with Disabilities Act (formerly the Persons with Disabilities Act of 1995) (2016) indicates that persons with disabilities should have access to education at all levels, and efforts have been made to improve the status of higher education for the disabled. Despite initiatives by the government of India, the enrollment of students with disabilities in higher education institutions is still very low, and this group is lagging far behind in comparison to the 3% of reservations that are available to them. This article reports on the status of students with disabilities in higher education and various initiatives taken by the government of India for the higher education of students with disabilities. The paper also highlights the issues affecting the higher education of students with disabilities in India and possible ways in which the issues could be addressed.