DEPwD to Launch RPL Certification & Assistive Device Camps under Special Campaign 5.0
SDG 4: Quality Education | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Institutions: Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Ahead of Special Campaign 5.0 (2β31 October 2025), Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) (Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment) is rolling out Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) certification programmes for educators and trainers working with persons with visual and hearing impairments. Partnering with ISLRTC, NIEPVD, and ALIMCO, the programmes will cover domains like ICT, assistive technologies, sign language teaching, and ISL commentary (e.g. for cricket). Simultaneously, 75 distribution camps will be conducted to deliver assistive devices worth βΉ38+ crores to ~40,000 beneficiaries. In addition, ALIMCO will train cycle and e-rickshaw mechanics in repairing mobility devices to strengthen local service ecosystems.
This initiative formally recognizes and upgrades informal or experience-based skills in disability education, supports accessibility infrastructure, and builds local maintenance capacity-an ecosystem approach to inclusive education. Embedding such actions under Special Campaign 5.0 signals a shift from episodic outreach to institutionalizing accessibility standards.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can DEPwD and collaborating institutions ensure that RPL certifications for inclusive education lead to sustained professional development, better educational outcomes for students with disabilities, and robust assistive device support systems?
Follow the full news here: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2167797