Inclusive education: GoI reserves 3 percent seats in KVs and JNV for differently abled children

wp:heading /wp:heading New Delhi,Nov 29: Government of India has reserved 3 percent seats in Kendriya Vidyalayas(KVs) and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas(JNVs) for differently abled children. Ministry of Education has decided it on Sunday in order to enact Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. Union Minister for Education,Dharmendra Pradhan said, 3% seats of total available seats for fresh admissions in Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) are horizontally reserved for Differently Abled children. At the same time,favourable measures have been implemented for differently abled children in KVs& JNVs to facilitate their studies in the institutions. For a barrier free access for differently abled students, integral part of Vidyalaya building design. Ramps and special toilets are constructed in schools as well as hostel buildings.Teachers are trained to help the students. Engaging the services of Special Educators to facilitate the teaching learning process among differently abled children.Need based procurement of assistive augmented devices.  Similarly,differently abled students will avail exemptions from payment of VVN and Tuition Fees.The facility of compensation of time in examination, seating arrangement on the ground floor and providing facility of scribe/writer in all examinations for all students with benchmark disability studying in different classes are extended as per CBSE guidelines. The Government has enacted the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 and the said Act mandates the Government and local authorities to take measures for providing inclusive education to Children with Disabilities (CwDs). Further, the Act also mandates appropriate Government and local authorities to ensure that every child with benchmark disabilities (disability of 40% or more) has access to free education in an appropriate environment till he attains the age of 18 years. The Centrally sponsored Samagra Shiksha – is an integrated scheme for School Education of the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, covering children from pre-primary to senior secondary. Under Samagra Shiksha, there is a dedicated component for Inclusive Education for Children with Special Needs (CwSN) through which various provisions are made available for the educational needs such as, identification & assessment camps, provision of aids, appliances, assistive devices, teaching learning materials (TLMs) etc. The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 advocates full equity and inclusion as the cornerstone of education to ensure that all students are able to thrive in the education system. It also underscores within its framework, education of CwSN in order to ensure equitable quality schooling. The Samagra Shiksha scheme has also been aligned with the recommendations of NEP 2020 to ensure that all children have access to quality education with an equitable and inclusive classroom environment.