The Central Information Commission (CIC) has recommended that the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) establish monitoring mechanisms to ensure schools and colleges provide accessibility facilities for students with disabilities.
In two separate orders, Information Commissioner Sudha Rani Relangi invoked Section 25(5) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, to recommend stronger compliance with disability-related provisions. The cases followed appeals by an applicant who raised concerns about inadequate accessibility infrastructure in educational institutions.
The CIC recommended that the UGC issue guidelines for barrier-free access in universities under its purview and ensure compliance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. It also asked the CBSE to issue directions to affiliated schools and establish a mechanism to monitor the implementation of its existing guidelines.
The commission said students who qualify for prescribed facilities and support should not be denied them. It found that the replies provided by the public information officers in both cases were appropriate under the RTI Act, while emphasising the wider public interest in protecting the educational rights of children with disabilities.
What the two cases revealed
In the UGC-related appeal, the applicant sought inquiry reports and details of action taken on a complaint about the absence of disability-friendly facilities in colleges affiliated with Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University.
The university told the commission that it had constructed ramps to provide access to its administrative building and key departments. Work on separate accessible toilets for men and women with disabilities was underway.
The university had also directed its constituent and affiliated colleges to provide ramps with handrails, accessible toilets, lifts wherever required, designated parking, suitable library facilities and wheelchairs. It subsequently asked colleges to report the actual status of these facilities. The CIC recommended that the UGC issue appropriate guidelines and ensure their implementation.
In the separate CBSE case, the applicant sought details of action taken on complaints about accessibility facilities in government and private schools in Bihar and the Delhi-NCR region.
The board told the commission that it had already issued mandatory guidelines to affiliated schools on provisions for children with special needs. The CIC recommended that the board strengthen oversight to ensure schools implement those requirements.
The orders therefore focus on monitoring and compliance, rather than introducing a new list of accessibility facilities.
School data show gaps in accessibility
The recommendations come as government data indicate uneven access to basic infrastructure in schools.
According to the Ministry of Education's data for the 2024-25 academic year, India had 14.71 lakh schools. Of these, 11.64 lakh had ramps, 8.08 lakh had ramps with handrails and 5.23 lakh had toilets suitable for children with special needs.
The figures indicate that ramps alone do not guarantee access. A student may still face barriers if a ramp lacks handrails, toilets are inaccessible, classrooms are difficult to reach or library facilities do not accommodate different disabilities.
The government has notified an Accessibility Code for Educational Institutions to guide accessibility audits. The Department of School Education and Literacy notified the code on January 12, 2024, and it was incorporated into the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules on June 20, 2024. The code covers physical barriers as well as information and communication barriers affecting access to school facilities.
The Centre provides financial support for accessibility improvements through schemes including Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI Schools. States and Union territories identify infrastructure gaps and submit funding proposals through their annual work plans and budgets.
What the law requires
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, provides the legal basis for improving access to education. It requires governments and local authorities to work towards inclusive education and directs educational institutions funded or recognised by them to provide inclusive education to children with disabilities.
The law includes provisions for accessible buildings, reasonable accommodation and support that enables students with disabilities to participate in education. Accessibility therefore extends beyond physical infrastructure to the conditions students need to enter, navigate and participate in educational institutions.
The UGC has separately published accessibility guidelines and standards for higher education institutions and universities. It says institutions should provide a barrier-free environment throughout the student journey, from admission to completion of a course.
In September 2026, the UGC also directed universities and affiliated institutions to comply with the RPwD Act and strengthen accessibility measures. Its directions included preparing time-bound accessibility action plans, ensuring that Equal Opportunity Cells function effectively and improving institutional reporting on students with disabilities.
Monitoring will determine implementation
The CIC's recommendations place the focus on whether existing rules translate into facilities that students can use. For the UGC, this means ensuring that universities and affiliated colleges provide accessible infrastructure and verify compliance. For the CBSE, it means ensuring that affiliated schools implement the board's requirements and that monitoring identifies gaps.