Govt Launches Unified NIEPID DISHA Curriculum for Children with Disabilities

In a historic leap toward inclusive education in India, the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID) and the Jai Vakeel Foundation (JVF) signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today, aimed at rolling out a standardized and scalable curriculum for Children with Intellectual Disabilities (CwID) across the country. The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

This collaboration addresses a long-standing gap in the Indian education system — the absence of a uniform curriculum tailored to the unique cognitive and developmental needs of children with intellectual disabilities. The MoU will scale up the NIEPID DISHA Curriculum, creating a robust, inclusive, and accessible learning ecosystem for over 3 million CwIDs in India.

A Landmark Collaboration for Inclusive Learning

The partnership leverages NIEPID’s academic, training, and research expertise with JVF’s implementation experience and grassroots network, resulting in the national deployment of:

• NIEPID DISHA Multisensory Curriculum

• DISHA Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Assessment Checklist

• DISHA Digital Learning Portal

• Structured Teacher Training Programs

The DISHA curriculum will now be available to schools, learning centres, NGOs, and special educators nationwide, creating a standardized pedagogical framework to ensure that no child with intellectual disabilities is left behind.

“This initiative is not just a policy reform—it is a human rights milestone,” said Dr. B.V. Ram Kumar, Director of NIEPID. “We are uniting science, empathy, and innovation to make quality education accessible to every child with intellectual disability in India.”

Government Commitment: From Braille to Intellectual Disabilities

Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, DEPwD, emphasized that neuro-diversity is one of the most complex yet emotionally significant challenges within disability rights. He declared that the Government of India is fully committed to scaling solutions that cater to this group.

He also announced key policy expansions:

• The Development of Accessible Learning Materials (DALM) scheme, previously limited to Braille books for children with visual impairments, will now include workbooks and digital resources for CwIDs.

• Materials will be made available free of cost in Hindi, English, Marathi, and other regional languages.

• Schools that voluntarily adopt the curriculum will receive free materials and training, encouraging wider uptake.

• Teacher training programs under this initiative will be accredited with CRE (Continuing Rehabilitation Education) status to fast-track national implementation.

“We are making inclusive education not just a possibility, but a nationwide reality,” Shri Aggarwal affirmed.

Empowering Through Disha Abhiyan: The Proven Model

The initiative builds upon the success of the Disha Abhiyan, a holistic education model created by Jai Vakeel Foundation and certified by NIEPID in 2019. The model has already been implemented across 453 schools in Maharashtra, reaching:

• Over 18,000 children with intellectual disabilities

• More than 2,600 trained educators and school leaders

Core Components of Disha Abhiyan:

1. Assessment Checklist for IEPs Provides structured developmental milestones across domains to tailor individual learning goals.

2. Multisensory Curriculum Based on VAKT pedagogy (Visual–Auditory–Kinesthetic–Tactile) and the Interest–Teach–Apply model, to promote engagement and skill generalization.

3. DISHA Digital Portal Enables schools to create and track IEPs, generate progress reports, and access learning content online.

4. Educator Training Modules Offer ongoing support, standardization, and quality assurance across implementing institutions.

“Education tailored to a child’s unique potential should not be an aspiration — it must be a guaranteed right,” stated Ms. Archana Chandra, CEO of Jai Vakeel Foundation. “Our collaboration with NIEPID will make that vision come true for thousands more across India.”

National Rollout and Future Roadmap

With the signing of the MoU, the NIEPID DISHA curriculum will be implemented immediately across:

• Composite Regional Centres (CDEIC)

• District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs)

• All other government and NGO-run institutions working with CwIDs

Support structures will include:

• On-site mentoring and feedback mechanisms

• Help desks for technical assistance

• Monitoring and evaluation dashboards for measuring implementation impact

The DEPwD and NIEPID have already laid out plans to expand this initiative into a national mission, with the potential to serve as a global best practice in inclusive education.

Aligning with Global Goals

The collaboration supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 4 (Quality Education): Ensuring inclusive and equitable education for all.

• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Empowering the most marginalized children in Indian society.

By standardizing curricula, digitalizing resources, and training teachers, the project contributes directly to India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision—a future where every child, regardless of ability, has access to quality education.

Education With Dignity, Equity, and Empowerment

This joint initiative between NIEPID and Jai Vakeel Foundation is not just an administrative partnership—it is a transformative national intervention. It symbolizes a shift in the education system—from fragmented approaches to standardized, scalable solutions that are deeply compassionate and pedagogically sound.

As India advances toward becoming a truly inclusive society, the NIEPID DISHA Curriculum represents a bold step in turning promises into practice, and policy into empowerment—for the most vulnerable children of the nation.