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Delhi govt push for inclusivity: PwDs invited to be part of training plan for schools

The government has accepted all the recommendations, and the process to implement them is currently ongoing, the official said.

4 min readNew DelhiJan 30, 2026 06:07 AM IST

Delhi government, Delhi government push for inclusivity, Persons with Disabilities, Directorate of Education, delhi news, India news, Indian express, current affairs

Another senior SCERT official said the emphasis is on equity and mainstreaming. “Representation of persons with disabilities in content development and need-assessment workshops, along with special educators, is essential to achieve this,” the official said.

In an effort to make school education more inclusive and improve all-round access to education for children with special needs, the Delhi government is seeking to actively involve Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in training and capacity-building activities in its schools.

This decision is in line with the recommendations of an internal committee of the government’s Directorate of Education (DoE), which was set up last year to improve the school working environment for both students and teachers, a senior official told The Indian Express.

The government has accepted all the recommendations, and the process to implement them is currently ongoing, the official said.

In a circular issued on January 27, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) advised all District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) to preferably include PwDs in content development, course design, and the conduct of training programmes.

The SCERT, which aims to raise the quality of school education by improving attitudes, increasing the application of knowledge, and enhancing the teaching skills of teachers, oversees the functioning of the nine DIETs in Delhi.

The SCERT also recommended engaging qualified PwDs as resource persons, subject experts, or facilitators for training, workshops, seminars and orientation programmes wherever feasible. Training methodologies, materials, and modes of delivery should follow the principles of universal design and accessibility to the extent possible, the circular said.

“The initiative aims to promote inclusive practices, enhance the quality and relevance of training programmes, and uphold the principles of equal opportunity and participation,” the circular said.

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Through a separate circular, SCERT has invited nominations of PwDs for content development, course design, and curriculum development activities, and for engagement as resource persons or subject experts for professional development initiatives conducted by SCERT and DIETs.

SCERT officials said the circulars are intended to formalise practices that were earlier undertaken in an ad hoc manner. “We are including teachers and academics with disabilities from universities for material development and training. Earlier, this was not an officially declared practice. The step is being taken after directions from the DoE committee; steps are now being taken to improve content and training with a clear focus on accessibility,” a senior SCERT official said.

Explained

Aim behind the initiative

Providing appropriate teaching-learning materials, instructional and training aids, therapeutic services, and in-service training of special educators and general teachers on curriculum adaptation for CWSN is a key objective of the Department of School Education & Literacy. The aim is to raise awareness of issues relating to CWSN in schools, and to address the needs of these children.

Another senior SCERT official said the emphasis is on equity and mainstreaming. “Instead of segregation or special classrooms, the focus has to be on mainstreaming… Representation of persons with disabilities in content development and need-assessment workshops, along with special educators, is essential to achieve this,” the official said.

The government official quoted above said that “the immediate and major recommendation [of the DoE’s panel] was that inclusive training would help address the existing gaps… As a logical solution, it was found necessary to involve persons who have special needs themselves as resource persons.”

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Another recommendation of the committee, which comprised heads and teachers of government schools, was to increase the number of resource centres for children with special needs (CWSN). The government has decided to add four more such centres to the 24 that exist currently, the official said.

Official data from 2023-24 show 35,887 CWSN in Delhi government schools from the pre-primary to higher secondary levels.

Sophiya Mathew

Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1. The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure. "Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR. "Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter. 2. Enforcement & Regulations "No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy. 3. Education Policy "Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. "Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation. Signature Style Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws. X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read More

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