Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) in India - A Statistical Profile: 2021

This report was published on March 31, 2021, by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, government of India. It contains statistical information on persons with disabilities in India based on Census 2011 as well as National Sample Survey (NSS) data from 2018. The NSS (76th round) defines a person with disability as someone who faces long term “physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment” which hinders their interactions with others in society. At the same time, Census 2011 – the report notes – presents information on disabilities related to seeing, hearing, speech, movement, ‘mental retardation’, mental illness and ‘other and multiple’ disabilities. Using these sources, the report discusses the various dimensions of disability in India and welfare measures adopted nationally and globally. It highlights the lack of comprehensive information on disabilities at both national and international levels. The government of India – the report notes – aims to create an inclusive society for persons with disabilities, in keeping with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.   The 307-page report is divided into five chapters: Introduction (Chapter 1); Measuring Disability in India – Definitions & concepts (Chapter 2); Dimensions of Disability in India (Chapter 3); Towards the Welfare of Disabled Persons in India (Chapter 4); and Strengthening Disability Statistics: Recent Global Initiatives (Chapter 5).