Education for Differently Abled

Education for Differently Abled

The Scheme of Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) is being implemented by Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of School Eduction & Literacy. This Scheme provides assistance for the inclusive education of the disabled children in classes IX-XII. This scheme is now subsumed under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) from 2013.1)   Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) The Scheme of Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) is being implemented by Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of School Eduction & Literacy. This Scheme provides assistance for the inclusive education of the disabled children in classes IX-XII. This scheme is now subsumed under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) from 2013. Aims To enable all students with disabilities, to pursue further four years of secondary schooling after completing eight years of elementary schooling in an inclusive and enabling environment. Objectives The scheme covers all children studying at the 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 class IX to XII, namely blindness, low vision, leprosy cured, hearing impairment, locomotory disabilities, mental retardation, mental illness, autism, and cerebral palsy and may eventually cover speech impairment, learning disabilities, etc. Girls with the disabilities receive special focus to help them gain access to secondary schools, as also to information and guidance for developing their potential. Setting up of Model inclusive schools in every State is envisaged under the scheme. Components ·         Student-oriented components, such as medical and educational assessment, books and stationery, uniforms, transport allowance, reader allowance, stipend for girls, support services, assistive devices, boarding the lodging facility, therapeutic services, teaching learning materials, etc. ·         Other components include appointment of special education teachers, allowances for general teachers for teaching such children, teacher training, orientation of school administrators, establishment of resource room, providing barrier free environment, etc. Implementing Agency The School Education Department of the State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations are the implementing agencies. They may involve NGOs having experience in the field of education of the disabled in the implementation of the scheme. Financial Assistance Central assistance for all items covered in the scheme is on 100 percent basis. The State governments are only required to make provisions for scholarship of Rs. 600/- per disabled child per annum. (2) Scholarship Scheme being implemented by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Pre-Matric Scholarship and Post-Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities This scheme has been launched in October, 2014. The objectives of the schemes are to provide financial assistance to the parents of students with disabilities for studying in the pre-matric level (class IX and X) and post-matric level (Class XI, XII onwards). The financial assistance includes scholarship, book grant, escort/reader allowance, etc. Number of scholarships to be granted every year is 46,000 for pre-matric level and 16,650 for post-matric level. 50% of the scholarships are reserved for girls. Parental income ceiling is Rs.2.00 lakh per annum for pre-matric and Rs.2.50 lakh per annum for post-matric scholarship. Selection of the beneficiaries under these two scholarship schemes is on the basis of merit after the recommendation of the Governments of State or Union Territories.  These schemes will be implemented on-line basis through a web-portal National e-Scholarship Portal which will be ready in the year 2015-16. The web portal is being prepared by Deptt. of Electronics & Information Technology. Since there is no web-portal during the current year (2014-15), the scheme is being operated off-line through the respective State Governments. From the next year onwards the scheme will be operated through National e-scholarship portal being developed by DEITY. (3) Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities is implementing a Scheme, namely, Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) under which   grant-in-aid is provided toNon-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)   for their projects relating to rehabilitation of persons with disabilities aimed at enabling persons with disabilities.  There are 18 model projects under the Scheme including programmes for pre-school and early intervention and special education. Up to 90% of the project cost is provided under the DDRS scheme.