“The lived reality for persons with disabilities has not improved, with a growing gap between policy and practice. This persistent contradiction is due to the failure to genuinely include and address their fundamental needs, such as providing accessible, tailored schools.”
Every year, the International Day for Persons with Disabilities arrives with solemn speeches, colourful events, and well-intentioned commitments. Leaders pledge respect for resilience, equal access to education, better healthcare, and enhanced avenues for employment. These, however, increasingly sound like ritualistic highlights rather than transformative action. The lived reality of persons with disabilities remains largely unchanged, and the gap between proclamations and practice continues to widen. At the core of this contradiction lies a simple truth: reaching out to persons with disabilities is still a distant dream. Their persistent demands—for something as fundamental as schools tailored to their learning needs—remain unheard. The state’s assurances of inclusivity ring hollow when basic institutional frameworks are missing. Education, the most powerful tool of empowerment, continues to be out of reach for many, not due to inability or lack of ambition, but because the system fails to create spaces where they can thrive. The situation becomes even more stark when one examines the bureaucratic hurdles they face. The J&K Social Welfare Department’s Rehabilitation Directorate, tasked with delivering assistive devices and support, is entangled in a cumbersome process that delays even the distribution of tricycles. Aids and appliances that could dramatically improve mobility and dignity are trapped in files, signatures, and slow-moving administrative machinery. For those already carrying the weight of social and physical barriers, such red tape becomes yet another layer of exclusion. Healthcare, a fundamental right, tells a similar story. Shockingly, there are no exclusive OPDs or emergency centres dedicated to persons with disabilities in government hospitals. This forces them to navigate crowded corridors, inaccessible infrastructure, and long queues—often without adequate support systems. A sensitive healthcare policy cannot merely be about providing treatment; it must ensure dignity, accessibility, and independence in seeking it. Education and professional opportunities present another paradox.
“While the Central Government has launched several welfare schemes for persons with disabilities (PwDs), these schemes are failing to reach a large number of intended beneficiaries due to poor implementation. Ultimately, building an inclusive society requires ensuring dignity, opportunity, and accessibility every day, not just celebrating PwDs occasionally.”
A significant number of candidates with disabilities have proven their merit by qualifying for competitive national examinations such as NEET. Yet, there are no government-run coaching centres designed to support them through such demanding tests. Without accessible preparatory infrastructure—specialised coaching, adaptive learning methods, and assistive technologies—many capable students are pushed to the margins of academic competitiveness. The Central Government has indeed launched several welfare schemes aimed at empowering persons with disabilities. But schemes alone do not guarantee change. A large number of the intended beneficiaries remain outside the fold because of poor awareness, weak outreach, lack of counselling, and systemic inefficiencies. Plugging these holes in implementation is not optional—it is essential. Welfare must translate into access, and access into opportunity. The biggest challenge today is not policy shortage but execution failure. Unless the government breaks the physical, social, and bureaucratic barriers that restrict access to public facilities and services, the suffering of persons with disabilities will persist far into the future. What is needed is a comprehensive overhaul—barrier-free infrastructure, sensitised institutions, accountable delivery systems, and inclusive planning. An inclusive society is not built by celebrations once a year; it is built by ensuring dignity, opportunity, and accessibility every single day.
