UPSC Mains
GS Paper 1/2 — Society & Education
UDISE 2025-26
Children with Special Needs (CWSN) in Indian Schools
Why in News: UDISE 2025-26 data shows only 22% of India’s estimated CWSN population is enrolled in school — a gap that has stayed frozen for eight years
CWSN Enrolled
21.66 Lakh — Stagnant for 8 Years
Estimated CWSN (2025-26)
98.8 Lakh
Inclusion Gap
Only 22% Enrolled
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CWSN School Enrolment: Context and Background
The UDISE 2025-26 report raised serious concerns about stagnant CWSN enrolment in schools. Only 21.66 lakh CWSN are enrolled in schools — a number that has remained fairly constant for eight years.
- The 2011 Census recorded 32.5 lakh disabled children below the age of nine alone.
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Key Data Points: CWSN Enrolment Patterns
- Using NFHS-5 data and population projections, the estimated number of CWSN grew from 92.3 lakh in 2018-19 to 98.8 lakh in 2025-26.
- Only 22% of estimated CWSN appear to have been enrolled in schools — a deeply concerning inclusion gap.
- Current school enrolment of 21.66 lakh represents less than 30% even of the 2011 Census disabled children figure.
Transition Drop-Off Across School Stages
Primary → Upper Primary
75%
Upper Primary → Secondary
48%
Secondary → Higher Secondary
46%
Gender Gap Among Enrolled CWSN
43 of 100
Enrolled CWSN who are girls — a persistent gender gap
80%
Girls in upper primary as a share of those at primary level — lower dropout than boys
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Challenges in CWSN Education Inclusion
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Gross Under-Enrolment: Only 22% of estimated CWSN are in schools — a massive gap in universal education delivery, compounded by CWSN dropout being more pronounced than the overall student dropout pattern at every transition stage.
Data Underreporting
Many schools still categorise students using the old 2011 Census’s eight categories rather than the current 21 RPwD Act categories.
Gender Double Disadvantage
Girls with special needs face both disability and gender barriers to sustained school participation.
Infrastructure Deficit
Most government schools lack disability-friendly infrastructure, ramps, accessible toilets and assistive technologies.
Teacher Preparedness
Inadequate teacher training in special education means most schools are ill-equipped to support CWSN effectively.
Data Vacuum
Absence of updated Census data or official disability estimates makes evidence-based policymaking difficult.
Awareness Gap
Families remain unaware of rights under the RPwD Act 2016, including educational entitlements for disabled children.
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Way Forward: Ensuring Inclusive Education for CWSN
Update UDISE Categories
Schools must immediately shift to the 21 RPwD Act disability categories for accurate data reporting.
Household Surveys
Launch dedicated household disability surveys to identify out-of-school CWSN and facilitate targeted enrolment.
Samagra Shiksha Strengthening
Enhance Samagra Shiksha’s CWSN component with increased funding for assistive devices, therapists and special educators.
Infrastructure Mandate
Make all government schools barrier-free through ramps, accessible toilets and sensory learning environments urgently.
Special Teacher Cadre
Create a dedicated special education teacher cadre with mandatory training and deployment in every block.
Community Awareness
Launch targeted awareness campaigns educating parents and communities about RPwD Act entitlements and school rights.
Girls with Disabilities
Design gender-specific retention interventions for girl CWSN to prevent dropout at transition stages.
Digital Inclusion
Expand assistive technology tools and accessible digital content under PM eVIDYA for CWSN learning support.
