SHAZIA YOUSUF
The subject of disability remains largely ignored in the valley of Kashmir. It could be understood from the fact that the latest official data still comes from the 2011 Census. According to that outdated record, at least 361,153 people in Jammu and Kashmir live with some form of disability, which roughly amounts to 3 percent of the population.
It is understandable that this 14-year-old data no longer reflects the reality on the ground. That is why various research studies and surveys by NGOs and government agencies suggest that the number has significantly grown in the last one and a half decades. Countless disabled people remain uncounted, especially in remote areas, due to lack of access, poor infrastructure, and the social stigma attached to the word.
Even if we go by the underreported figures, hearing and seeing impairments are the most common, followed by mental and locomotor disabilities. The current estimates compiled through various studies suggest that the figure now stands at around 663,823 persons, including 383,032 males and 280,791 females.
When it comes to children, the 2011 Census reported 27,939 disabled children in the valley. Since different surveys use different definitions of disability and the numbers may vary, but the larger picture remains clear. Disabled children in the Kashmir valley go unseen, underreported, and unsupported.
LAWS JUST ON PAPER
On paper, India has strong laws protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016, the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and the New Education Policy (NEP), 2020 all emphasize inclusive education. There is a lot of stress on the full participation of children with disabilities in all aspects of life. These laws promise equal opportunities and dignity for every child, regardless of their physical or mental condition.
Sadly, in practice, inclusion remains a distant dream. Across the valley, most private schools routinely deny admission to children with disabilities. This is a direct violation of the RPWD Act and continues even after a 2023 circular from the Director of School Education that clearly stated no school can deny admission to children on the basis of disability.
If one goes by local media reports, especially from 2024 and 2025, one sees a different picture. Most children with disabilities are excluded from mainstream schools and classrooms. Reports also suggest that early identification programs are limited, and trained special educators are missing in many districts. Academic research continues to document high dropout rates and extensive discrimination among children and youth with disabilities. This is a vicious circle that begins with late diagnoses, hampering learning and almost leaving no pathway for higher education or skill-based training.
HOW CHINAR INTERNATIONAL STEPPED IN
In grim situations like these, local NGOs serve as lifelines. They try to bridge the gaps left behind by poor infrastructure and failed government schemes. They not only provide care and therapy but also education and skill training.
Our organization, CHINAR International, also stepped in with its Rehabilitation Project in collaboration with Chotay Taray Foundation. Currently, 75 children sponsored by CHINAR International receive care at the foundation, which focuses on providing individualized support that meets the developmental and learning needs of each child.
At Chotay Taray, children struggling to adapt to daily life routines are taught basic skills like how to use the toilet, eat on their own, interact with others, and perform simple tasks independently. The atmosphere is warm, structured, and nurturing. Over time, many of these children show remarkable improvement in their quality of life.
There are many special schools run by local NGOs, but for the parents of disabled children, the real challenge begins when their child turns 18. Most support services end abruptly, creating what parents call a “transition cliff.” Higher education becomes out of reach, and the lack of vocational training centers, inclusive colleges, and employment pathways leaves families feeling abandoned. To bridge this gap, CHINAR International intervened with another idea.
BRIDGING THE HIGHER EDUCATION GAP
CHINAR International joined hands with the Abhedananda School for Deaf and Dumb, the Department of Social Welfare, and IGNOU in 2024 to launch a Higher Education Facilitation Program for students with disabilities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The initiative created an inclusive academic space for students with hearing and speech impairments. Trained instructors delivered structured lectures and tutorials for students pursuing undergraduate degrees in Sociology, Political Science, and Psychology. The initiative benefitted 32 students.
A key innovation was CHINAR’s Inclusive Lesson Plan Format, designed to make learning accessible, interactive, and outcome-driven. Each session combined visual aids, flashcards, sign language interpretation, and creative teaching methods such as group work, peer learning, and demonstrations.
Assessment was not limited to exams only; it included practical tasks, portfolios, and feedback sessions that helped track real progress. The result was powerful. The students who had once been silent participants began to engage, express, and excel. This collaboration became a model of how government institutions and civil society can work together to make higher education truly inclusive.
A PATHWAY TO SELF RELIANCE
Not every young person with a disability aspires to college or wants to pursue higher education. Many simply want a livelihood and independence. Between 2019–20 and 2024–25, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment extended financial support worth Rs.9.61 crore to 2,262 beneficiaries from Jammu and Kashmir under various scholarship schemes. Yet the employment gap remains stark. The RPWD Act mandates vocational training, self-employment schemes, and barrier-free workplaces, but implementation on the ground is weak. The result is a large number of skilled but unemployed persons with disabilities across the region.
In 2025, CHINAR International intervened by partnering with SIDBI to launch three Skill Development Centres in Srinagar. The aim was to create sustainable livelihoods for children and youth with hearing, speech, and developmental impairments. Located at Abhinandan Home School and the Chotay Taray Foundation office in Bemina, the centres offer inclusive, practical, income-generating training. Abhinandan Home focuses on cutting, tailoring, and digital literacy, while Chotay Taray emphasizes arts and crafts for children with Down syndrome and motor or developmental challenges.
Each four-month course includes ongoing guidance in business setup, marketing, and forming Self-Help Groups, ensuring that participants can build stable sources of income. Sign language interpreters make every step accessible. These initiatives are not just about employment; they are about confidence, dignity, and belonging. They help young people with disabilities see themselves not as dependents, but as contributors to their families and communities.
STEADY STEPS TOWARDS INCLUSION
Disability inclusion in Kashmir remains a long and uneven journey. The challenges are there. Whether it is dealing with outdated data and policy gaps or social stigma, the struggle is real. But amid all these struggles, the work of CHINAR International shows that change is possible. By combining education, skill development, and compassion, CHINAR’s initiatives have given marginalized children and youth a renewed sense of purpose. More importantly, the organization has offered a scalable model for how inclusion can work. A kind of inclusion that restores dignity, nurtures ability, and builds hope for a more equitable Kashmir.
(Shazia Yousuf works as Media and Communication Specialist at CHINAR International)
