A Study of the impact of persons with Disabilities Act (PwD,1995) on rehabilitation of persons with disabilities

Abstract

This study was carried out in Delhi, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Kolkata. Mixed methods research involving interviews, surveys, observations in the field and document analysis was carried out. This study examines the process of implementation of the PwD Act, 1995 by state governments in five regions. The challenge of studying government directly at the level of ministry and departments are elaborated. This study argues that due to the diversity of the population characteristics and politics in response to institutional mechanisms, there is regional variation in state government response and opportunities available to persons with disabilities within each state. A study of District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) scheme was done in Gujarat and Rajasthan. In-depth interviews were carried out with central and state government officials working in departments of social justice or social welfare and departments of health; personnel at DDRCs, and beneficiaries across five DDRCs. The gaps found between policy vision and instruments used for implementation of scheme in terms of funding, infrastructure, staffing, human resource requirements, resource availability and monitoring are discussed. This dissertation also included a study on the inclusion of students with disabilities in five higher educational institutions in five big cities. Finally, employability of persons with disabilities was studied.