10 years of Disability Rights Act: Where does India stand on digital inclusion?

India has 30-35 million people with disabilities. It’s now ten years since the enactment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Yet, accessibility remains a challenge – not only in the real world, but even in the digital one. Most government websites have accessibility issues – meaning people with disabilities can’t fully use them. As India digitalises across public services, finance, education, and employment, inclusion cannot be an afterthought. Yet, inaccessible platforms and non-inclusive systems continue to limit equitable participation of persons with disabilities. On the eve of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (May 21), we discuss what digital inclusion really means in today’s AI-led digital landscape. What are the gaps that the disabled face in India, and what will it take to build inclusion into systems from the get go? Guest: Diwakar Menon, Member of the Board at the Association of People with Disability, Bengaluru. Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Producer: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices