Indian University Hosts Accessibility Tech Conference

- India's University Grants Commission (UGC) mandates that all higher education institutions follow its "Accessibility Guidelines and Standards." These standards are aligned with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016 and require accessibility in infrastructure, digital resources, and curriculum. - Despite a 5% reservation in admissions for persons with disabilities as mandated by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016, the actual enrollment of these students in Indian higher education remains very low. - According to the 2011 Census, only 5% of India's disabled population held a graduate degree. - A significant "digital divide" exists in Indian higher education, with institutions in rural areas often having less access to digital infrastructure and resources compared to their urban counterparts, which complicates the nationwide implementation of digital accessibility. - Indian law requires that university websites comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 at the AA level. However, a 2020 study of the top 15 universities in India revealed that their websites were not user-friendly for those using assistive technologies. - Common barriers for students with disabilities in India's higher education system include a lack of physical accessibility like ramps and accessible restrooms, as well as inadequate access to necessary assistive technologies. - The UGC encourages universities to perform accessibility audits to identify and address shortcomings in their facilities and services. The commission is also in the process of creating a tool to evaluate how well institutions are implementing the accessibility guidelines. - In addition to physical infrastructure, the UGC guidelines stress the importance of accessible digital learning environments, calling for features such as screen-reader compatibility, accessible PDFs, and captioned lectures.