Ministry of Human Resource Development

Inclusive Education for the Disabled at Secondary Stage

Overview

The Scheme of Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) has been launched from the year 2009-10. This Scheme replaces the earlier scheme of Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) and would provide assistance for the inclusive education of the disabled children in classes IX-XII

Aims

To enable all students with disabilities, after completing eight years of elementary schooling, to pursue further four years of secondary schooling in an inclusive and enabling environment.

Objectives

The scheme covers all children studying at secondary stage in Government, local body and Government-aided schools, with one or more disabilities as defined under the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) and the National Trust Act (1999) in the class IX to XII, namely blindness, low vision, leprosy cured, hearing impairment, locomotor disabilities, mental retardation, mental illness, autism and cerebral palsy, and may eventually cover speech impairment, learning disabilities, etc. Girls with disabilities receive special focus to help them gain access to secondary schools, as also to information and guidance for their developing potential. Setting up of Model inclusive schools in every State is envisaged.

Components

Assistance is admissible for two major components

Student-oriented components, such as medical and educational assessment, books and stationery, uniforms, transport allowance, reader allowance, stipend for girls, support services, assistive devices, boarding the lodging facility, therapeutic services, teaching learning materials, etc.

Other components include appointment of special education teachers, allowances for general teachers for teaching such children, teacher training, orientation of school administrators, establishment of resource room, providing barrier free environment, etc.

Implementing Agency

The School Education Department of the State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations is the implementing agency.  They may involve NGOs having experience in the field of education of the disabled in the implementation of the scheme.

Financial Assistance

Central assistance for all items covered in the scheme is on 100 percent basis. The State Governments are only required to make provisions for a scholarship of Rs. 600 per disabled child per annum.

For More Information: IEDSS Guidelines (1.8MB)

State Resource Centre

The State Resource Centre(s) (SRCs) are mandated to provide academic and technical resource support to adult and continuing education through development and production of material and training modules. In addition SRC would be required to conduct motivational and environmental building, action research and evaluation and monitoring.

Scope of Work

The Scope of Work of the State Resource Centre(s) broadly includes the following:

• Preparation of teaching learning and training material for Adult Education programme
• Training literacy Functionaries
• Action Research
• Evaluation and monitoring of literacy projects
• Undertaking innovative projects to identify future needs Adult Education programme
• Any other function incidental to accomplishment of the overall objectives of the NLM or specifically assigned by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

Categorisation of State Resource Centres

The State Resource Centres, based on the workload and size of their programme in the area of their jurisdiction, are categorized into two categories, namely, Category ‘A’ and Category ‘B’. Different quantum of assistance has been provided for each category.

For More Information: Guidelines for Management, Planning & Operation of the State Resource Centre for Adult and Continuing Education (263KB)

Support to Voluntary Agencies for Adult Education and Skill Development

Introduction

• The Programme of Action (POA) to operationalise National Policy on Education, 1986, inter-alia, envisaged development of a genuine partnership between the Government and non- Government Organizations (NGOs) and stipulated that government would take positive steps to promote their wider involvement in eradication of illiteracy by providing due support to them. To promote Adult Education, particularly in 15-35 age group, through voluntary sector, the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, has been providing support to Voluntary Agencies (VA) through two separate schemes, namely (i) Assistance to Voluntary Agencies in the field of Adult Education and (ii) Jan Shikshan Sansthans. The former is conceptualised as an overarching programme to encourage innovation and creativity in literacy and continuing education. It includes establishment of State Resource Centers for technical and academic support to adult education. Jan Shikshan Sansthans, on the other hand, provide vocational education skill development training to those having no or rudimentary level of education.
• The Government have now decided to merge both the schemes and rename the modified scheme as “Scheme of Support to Voluntary Agencies for Adult Education and Skill Development” and continue to support the Voluntary Agencies on project to project basis. Thus the new scheme subsumes the erstwhile NGO based schemes of the National Literacy Mission. Besides revised parameters, enhanced financial assistance has been provided under some of the components of the revised scheme. The scheme will be administered through a new set of guidelines and terms & conditions, as specified by the Government from time to time.

Scheme Objectives

The main objective of the scheme is to secure extensive, as well as, intensive involvement of voluntary sector in the endeavours of the Government to promote functional literacy, skill development and continuing education, particularly in 15-35 age group, under the over all umbrella of National Literacy Mission (NLM). The Scheme will, thus, strive to achieve, through voluntary effort, the overall objectives of NLM, which include:

• Achieving self-reliance in literacy and numeracy
• Becoming aware of the causes of their deprivation and moving towards amelioration of their condition through organization and participation in the process of development
• Acquiring skills to improve the economic status and general well being
• Imbibing the values of national integration, conservation of the environment women’s equality, observance of small family norms, etc.

Component

The Scheme encompasses of 3 components, namely, State Resource Centers, Jan Shikshan Sansthan and Assistance to Voluntary Agencies.

• State Resource Centers
• Jan Shikshan Sansthan
• Assistance to Voluntary Agencies

For More Information: Scheme of Support to Voluntary Agencies for Adult Education & Skill Development

Assistance to Agencies for Education in Human Values

Under the Scheme, financial assistance is provided for projects to government agencies, educational institutions, Panchayati Raj institutions, registered societies, Public trusts and non-profit making companies and NGOs for taking up projects, sanctioned within the parameters of the scheme and the financial outlay provided. Financial assistance is given to the extent of 100% of the cost of project with a ceiling of Rs. 10.00 lakhs approved by the Grants-in-Aid Committee for activities relating to strengthening of culture and values in education. The grant to the registered organizations is given for various purposes such as development of teaching and learning materials, audio-visual aids, training of teachers, conferences, workshops, seminars for parents/community/students/teachers, creative activities, school children theatre, setting up of museum corners etc. for promoting universal values such as truth, peace, love, righteous conduct, non-violence and the values enshrined in the Constitution of India. Besides giving grant to NGOs, the Scheme also aims at incorporating human and cultural values components in the curriculum at all levels of education system.

For More Information: Scheme – Education In Human Values (254KB)