NEW DELHI: The upper house of the Indian parliament passed a bill to make education of the disabled compulsory and provide those with severe disability the option of being taught at home. “It is a historic piece of legislation and will have a huge impact on quality education to children between classes 1 and 8 in the 6-14 age group,” India's Union education Minister Kapil Sibal said after moving the legislation to vote. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2010, includes in the ambit of the already existing Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, disabled children who will now also have the right to free and compulsory education either at home (for those with sever disability) or in the vicinity for the rest. Sibal said that the government would rope in the help of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well as parents and educationists in its bid to implement the bill. Disabled children can now have the chance to study alongside other children (inclusive education) or can opt for special education also provided by the government. India has a huge population of disabled children who are often kept without education because of ignorant parents as well as a society that ostracizes them. Disabled children are either treated as if they are possessed by demons or in some cases they are worshiped as incarnations of the gods in many parts of rural India. It is only off late that education for the disabled has begun and that too only through government funded schools. The latest amendment to the bill hopes to change that.
