Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Appropriate Governments and local authorities to provide children with disabilities free education etc. The appropriate Governments and the local authorities shall- (a) Ensure that every child with a disability has access to free education in an appropriate environment till he attains the age of eighteen years; (b) Endeavor to promote the integration of students with disabilities in the normal schools; (c) Promote setting up of special schools in Government and private sector for those in need of special education, in such a manner that children with disabilities living in any part of the country have access to such schools; (d) Endeavor to equip the special schools for children with disabilities with vocational training facilities. 26 : Education of Children with Disabilities at the School level - (1) The appropriate Government and local authorities shall ensure that every child with disabilities has access to free education till he attains the age of eighteen years in an inclusive environment, unless there are compelling reasons for doing otherwise, and provide reasonable accommodation of the individual student’s requirements. (2) With a view to giving effect to the provisions of sub- section (1), appropriate Governments and local authorities shall ensure that: (a) educational institutions run or aided by them have necessary physical facilities and teaching staff to cater to the needs of students with disabilities, and (b) institutions provide for individual and appropriate communication and mobility needs for children with disabilities to facilitate learning. (3) In case of children with severe disability who cannot be educated in an inclusive environment, appropriate Governments and local authorities shall ensure alternative arrangements, such as special schools, home-based education, distance education etc. so that they receive free education upto the age of eighteen years, and complete the equivalent of at least eight years of school education. 36 Explanation: ‘Free education” for the purposes of this section shall, in the case of children with disabilities from economically weaker sections, include cost of corrective surgeries, assistive devices, special books and equipments as appropriate. 49 New Provision Section 26A. Distance Education of Persons with Disabilities above 18 years of age to be free upto the senior secondary stage. Whenever a person with disability who is above the age of 18 years, but has not completed education upto the senior secondary stage, enrolls himself for distance education in an institution imparting such education, no fee of any kind shall be charged from such person, till he completes the senior secondary stage of education. Explanation:- "Distance Education" for the purposes of this Section means a system of imparting education other than through the conventional mode and includes open and non-formal system of education and training wherein teachers and learners need not be present at the same time or place and where the method of imparting education is through any means of communication, such as broadcast, telecast, electronic transmission of text and audio-visual material, internet / intranet, contact programmes, etc. or the combination of any two or more such means. 37 50 New Provision Section 26B. Higher and Professional education To enable students with disabilities to pursue higher and professional education, the appropriate Governments shall- (i) take necessary steps to ensure appropriate environment and facilities, including resource rooms in the campus of colleges and universities; (ii) develop separate guidance, counseling and placement services in each district suitable to the needs of persons with disabilities. 51