In Brief
This public interest litigation, filed in 2006 and decided in 2017, addressed the failure of educational institutions to implement statutory requirements for persons with disabilities. The Court held that all institutions receiving government aid must reserve at least 5% of seats for persons with benchmark disabilities under the 2016 Act (increased from 3% under the 1995 Act) and submit annual compliance reports to disability commissioners. The judgment directs the UGC to constitute an expert committee to assess feasibility of implementing comprehensive accessibility and pedagogical guidelines for students with disabilities, covering physical infrastructure, classroom modifications, examination arrangements, and assistive technology. Defaulting institutions face statutory penalties under Section 89 of the 2016 Act.
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