Need more screening for disability: Pradhan

UNion breeding government minister Dharmendra Pradhan on midweek called for showing all students at to the lowest degree once to identify learning disabilities, such as dyslexia and dyscalculia, emphasising that the exercise must be carried out “without stigma or embarrassment” and seen as a shared responsibility of society.Addressing the ‘Inclusive Education Summit’, being organised by the education ministry from January 21 to 23 in New Delhi, Pradhan said early identification of children with special needs (CwSN) was central to building an equitable and accessible education system in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016.“This is not about labelling children. Identification and screening must be done sensitively, with dignity, and without any embarrassment to the child or the family,” he said, adding that ideally every student should be screened at least once to understand their learning needs and ensure timely support.Questioning official estimates, the minister said India was significantly undercounting children with disabilities. While the accepted figure is around 2.5% of the population, he said the actual number could be closer to 6%.“With nearly 25 crore (250 million) students in the country, around 1.2 crore (12 million) children may require special attention. However, across nearly six lakh (600,000) schools, only 21-22 lakh children (2.1 to 2.2 million) have been identified so far,” Pradhan said, calling the gap “a serious concern”.He said inclusive education was not limited to any single scheme, but reflected a collective national resolve to ensure dignity, equal opportunity and a self-reliant future for every child. Reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, Pradhan said the foundation of a Viksit Bharat (developed India) must rest on education that is equitable, sensitive and inclusive. He also added that the expansion of recognised disability categories from six to 21 reflected this approach.Highlighting the shortage of trained educators, Pradhan said technology and artificial intelligence (AI) would be crucial in scaling up screening, identification and personalised learning support. “AI can act as a force multiplier — from screening and identification to education and sustained hand-holding,” he said.On the first day of the summit, the minister also visited an exhibition showcasing assistive products and smart technologies, praising Indian start-ups for developing innovative solutions to address the diverse needs of CwSN.The three-day summit brings together policymakers, states, national institutions, experts, civil society organisations and industry partners to deliberate on policies, best practices and future pathways for inclusive education.Day one was focused on the theme of leveraging digital technology and assistive devices for inclusive education. Day two will highlight major national initiatives and capacity-building measures and day 3 will focus on Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) and the broader spectrum of neurodiversity, addressing issues related to identification, curriculum adaptation, pedagogy, assessment, and board-level provisions.