NewsVoir

New Delhi [India], June 20: The National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), supported by Mphasis, is set to present a landmark policy paper titled Assistive Technology in India: A Systems and Investment Approach for Inclusion, Independence, and Economic Participation of Persons with Disabilities. The paper comes at a time when the need for assistive technology is rapidly growing across the world. According to the World Health Organization, more than 2.5 billion people globally require at least one assistive technology product--such as eyeglasses, hearing aids, wheelchairs, prosthetics or communication applications. Yet, less than 10% of people who need assistive technology in low in middle income countries have access to AT.

Recognising this urgent gap and the absence of a dedicated national policy framework in India, NCPEDP will unveil the policy paper on June 24. The document presents foundational recommendations for a National Assistive Technology Policy Framework and calls for a comprehensive overhaul of how India designs, delivers, finances and sustains assistive technology for persons with disabilities, older persons and individuals with functional limitations. It aims to provide a roadmap for government and other stakeholders to build an accessible, affordable and future-ready assistive technology ecosystem for the country.

Arman Ali, Executive Director of NCPEDP argues that assistive technology should no longer be viewed as a welfare measure or a one-time distribution exercise, but as essential social and economic infrastructure that directly impacts education, employment, healthcare access, mobility, independent living and productivity.

India is home to 2.68 crore persons with disabilities, while more than 70 percent of them live in rural areas where access to assistive services remains limited. The challenge is expected to grow further as India's elderly population increases rapidly and more people live longer with chronic illnesses and functional impairments.

'India has established a strong normative and rights-based foundation for disability inclusion through the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, the Accessible India Campaign, and sectoral policies such as the National Education Policy, 2020. The Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP) Scheme remains the principal public mechanism for AT provisioning and has expanded access to basic devices for many low-income households. However, assistive technology delivery remains fragmented across ministries, schemes, and service channels, with a predominant focus on device procurement and one-time distribution,' said Ali.

The policy paper estimates that India's assistive technology market could reach USD 8-10 billion by 2030, presenting a significant opportunity for policy-led innovation, investment domestic manufacturing. Yet access remains limited to only a fraction of those who need assistive products and services.

The launch event is expected to bring together Members of Parliament, senior government officials, representatives from STPI and technology institutions, civil society organisations, development sector experts, disability rights advocates, academia, research institutes and persons with disabilities to discuss the future of assistive technology in India and the need for a dedicated national policy framework.

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