India Issues Advisory on Educational Rights and Nutritional Support for Children with Special Needs

Under the RTE Act, 2009, every child between the ages of 6 and 14 is entitled to free and compulsory education.

In a significant move towards realizing the goals set forth in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, Government of India, issued a comprehensive advisory to all States and Union Territories (UTs) on June 7, 2024. This advisory underscores the imperative of ensuring that all Children with Special Needs (CwSN), studying in various educational settings including government/government-aided inclusive schools, home-based education, or special schools, receive their entitlements under the Right to Education (RTE).

The advisory mandates that CwSN should have access to RTE entitlements such as free uniforms, free textbooks, interventions under the Inclusive Education component of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, and mid-day meals under the PM POSHAN scheme. In cases where necessary, these entitlements can be provided in the form of dry ration or through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

This initiative is particularly notable for its focus on ensuring nutritional support for CwSN students enrolled in Special Schools under the Social Welfare Department, as well as those with severe and multiple disabilities in home-based education settings. The extension of coverage under the PM POSHAN scheme aims to meet their nutritional needs effectively.

The overarching objective of these measures is to fulfill the NEP 2020 mandate of providing equitable access to quality education for all children, including those with disabilities as defined by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. The Samagra Shiksha scheme, fully aligned with NEP 2020 objectives, integrates RTE entitlements as a crucial intervention across all levels of school education.

Under the RTE Act, 2009, every child between the ages of 6 and 14 is entitled to free and compulsory education. The RTE entitlements supported by the Centrally sponsored Samagra Shiksha Scheme include free uniforms, free textbooks, reimbursement for 25% admissions under Section 12 (1) (c) of RTE Act, and special training for age-appropriate admissions of out-of-school children at the elementary level.

The Inclusive Education (IE) component within the Samagra Shiksha framework aims to ensure equitable access to quality education for CwSN by providing necessary academic support and resources. This includes organizing identification and assessment camps, providing aids, appliances, and assistive devices, facilitating transportation, offering scribe and escort allowances, supplying Braille and large print books, granting stipends for girls with special needs, and providing teaching-learning materials.

Moreover, the PM POSHAN scheme, a centrally sponsored initiative, extends nutritional support to children from pre-primary to Class VIII in government and government-aided schools.

These integrated efforts underscore India's commitment to inclusive education, aiming to address the unique educational and nutritional needs of Children with Special Needs across diverse educational settings nationwide.