UGC Guidelines for Teaching Divyangjans & Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs): What You Should Know

In August 2023, the UGC released a dedicated set of Guidelines for Credit-Based Course on Pedagogical Aspects for Teaching Divyangjans and Persons with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs), aimed at making higher education genuinely inclusive for students with disabilities. Let’s understand what this guideline actually covers and why it matters.

Key Points of the UGC Guidelines for Teaching Divyangjans & Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs)

The guidelines were framed under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which places equity and inclusion at the centre of every educational decision.

The major points include:

1. Institutions must adopt flexible, disability-aware pedagogy — not a one-size-fits-all teaching method.
2. Support is broken down disability-by-disability, covering visual, hearing, intellectual, physical, and specific learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, mental illness, and multiple disabilities.
3. The Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) must be made accessible to students with disabilities, including credit accommodations and alternative course pathways.
4. Institutions should provide accessible examinations — extra time, scribes, alternate formats, and distraction-free rooms, among other measures.
5. Section 32 of the RPwD Act, 2016 mandates that government higher education institutions reserve at least 5% of seats for persons with benchmark disabilities, along with a 5-year age relaxation.

Why Are We Hearing About This Again?

Inclusive education has been a policy goal for years, but this guideline pushes it from intent into practice by tying it directly to how courses, credits, and evaluations are structured.

Some reasons this keeps coming up in student and institution conversations:

• NEP 2020‘s push for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and online education has widened access for students with disabilities who may find physical campuses harder to navigate.
• Enrollment data cited in the guideline shows disabled students make up only a tiny fraction of higher education enrolments — UGC is treating this as a gap that needs direct policy intervention.
• The Academic Bank of Credits system is being rolled out more widely, and questions are coming up about how credit accommodations actually work for students with disabilities.
• More institutions are now expected to report on how many students with learning disabilities are using remedial classes and support services.

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What Exactly Do the Guidelines Cover?

The document is organised into five broad areas:

1. Understanding Learning Styles

The guidelines recognise that students learn differently — visually, through listening, through touch, or through hands-on activity — and ask teachers to adapt their methods accordingly, especially for students with disabilities.

2. Disability-Specific Pedagogical Support

This is the most detailed part of the guideline. It lays out practical classroom adaptations for a wide range of conditions, including:

Disability Category	Examples of Support Recommended
Visual (Blindness & Low Vision)	Braille/audio materials, orientation & mobility training, assistive tech like screen readers
Hearing (Deaf & Hard of Hearing)	Sign language interpreters, captioned videos, preferential seating, written supplements
Intellectual Disability	Simplified instructions, concrete-to-abstract teaching, extra response time, note-takers
Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs)	Simplified materials, audio recordings of lectures, extra time, alternate assessment formats
Autism Spectrum Disorder	Student-centric course design, flexibility in mode of study, on-demand exams
Physical Disabilities	Accessible classrooms/labs, scribes, adapted seating and writing aids
Mental Illness	Preferential seating, frequent breaks, private and personal feedback
Multiple Disabilities	Step-by-step instructions, multi-sensory teaching, alternate response modes

3. Campus & Digital Accessibility

The guidelines go beyond the classroom covering accessible pathways, signage, and wayfinding on campus, as well as digital accessibility (WCAG-compliant websites, screen-reader-friendly course material, and accessible formats for the syllabus and reading lists).

4. Accessible Examinations

Examination-specific accommodations recommended include extra time, use of scribes or readers, alternate question formats, distraction-free rooms, and flexibility in oral vs. written assessment depending on the disability.

5. Credits & Academic Mobility for Students with Disabilities

Under the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) framework, students with disabilities can earn credits through self-study, e-learning, home-based training, internships, or project work not just classroom attendance giving them more flexible paths to complete a degree.

Why This Matters for Students and Institutions

For students with disabilities, these guidelines are meant to remove some of the biggest barriers to completing a degree — rigid attendance rules, inaccessible exam formats, and teaching methods that don’t account for different learning needs.

For higher education institutions, it means:

• Appointing staff aware of disability-specific teaching methods
• Making digital course material genuinely accessible, not just uploaded as PDFs
• Building flexibility into how credits, exams, and even choice of subjects work

Practical Example

Consider a student with a specific learning disability like dyslexia, enrolled in a UG programme. Under these guidelines, the institution could offer that student extra time during exams, a scribe to write answers, colour-coded or simplified study material, and the option to record lectures for later review — accommodations that are meant to level the playing field without lowering academic standards.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the aim of the UGC’s 2023 guidelines on teaching Divyangjans?

To make higher education institutions genuinely inclusive by providing disability-specific pedagogical support, accessible infrastructure, and flexible credit and examination systems for students with disabilities.

Who does “Divyangjan” refer to?

It’s the term used in Indian policy for persons with disabilities, in line with the categories recognised under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016.

Do these guidelines apply only to physical disabilities?

No. They cover a wide range of categories visual, hearing, intellectual, physical, and specific learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, mental illness, and multiple disabilities.

How does the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) help students with disabilities?

It allows credits to be earned through multiple modes self-study, e-learning, internships, or project work giving students with disabilities more flexible ways to complete a degree.

Is seat reservation for persons with disabilities mandatory in higher education?

Yes. Under Section 32 of the RPwD Act, 2016, government higher education institutions must reserve at least 5% of seats for persons with benchmark disabilities, along with an age relaxation of 5 years.