CIC Flags Accessibility Gaps, Recommends UGC and CBSE to Ensure Disability-Friendly Infrastructure

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has recommended that the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) strengthen accessibility measures in educational institutions by introducing monitoring mechanisms to ensure students with disabilities receive the facilities they are entitled to. The recommendations emphasise the need for universities and affiliated schools to provide essential infrastructure, including ramps, wheelchairs and accessible toilets, to create an inclusive learning environment.

In two separate orders, Information Commissioner Sudha Rani Relangi invoked Section 25(5) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, to recommend steps for improving the implementation of disability-related provisions in educational institutions. The orders followed appeals submitted by an applicant who had raised concerns over the absence of basic accessibility infrastructure in schools and colleges in Bihar.

In the appeal involving the UGC, the applicant had sought information about inquiry reports and action taken following a complaint regarding inadequate facilities for persons with disabilities in colleges affiliated with Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University. Responding to the commission, the university stated that it had constructed ramps to provide access to its administrative building and key departments. It also informed the CIC that work was in progress to build separate accessible toilets for male and female persons with disabilities.

The university further stated that instructions had been issued to all its constituent and affiliated colleges to provide essential accessibility facilities. These included ramps equipped with handrails, accessible washrooms, lifts wherever necessary, designated parking spaces, appropriate library infrastructure and wheelchairs. The colleges were also asked to submit reports detailing the actual availability and status of these facilities.

Taking note of the matter, the CIC recommended that the UGC formulate suitable guidelines to ensure barrier-free access across higher education institutions in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. It also stressed the need for the commission to ensure that universities approved by it strictly implement the prescribed accessibility requirements.

In a separate appeal concerning the CBSE, the applicant had sought details of action taken on complaints about the lack of accessibility infrastructure in government and private schools across Bihar and the Delhi-NCR region. The board informed the CIC that it had already issued mandatory guidelines to all its affiliated schools outlining the facilities and support required for children with special needs.

However, emphasising the importance of effective implementation, the CIC recommended that the CBSE issue necessary directions to its affiliated institutions and establish a dedicated monitoring mechanism to oversee compliance with its guidelines. The objective, it said, should be to ensure that no eligible child is denied the facilities, assistance and support prescribed for students with disabilities.

While the commission found that the responses provided by the respective Public Information Officers (PIOs) were appropriate under the provisions of the RTI Act, it highlighted the broader public interest involved in both matters. The CIC underscored the importance of safeguarding the educational rights of children with special needs and ensuring that the absence of basic infrastructure does not prevent them from accessing education on an equal footing with other students.