Acts and Rules

Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016

The Act replaces the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. It fulfills the obligations to the United National Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to which India is a signatory.  The Act came into force during December 2016.

Salient features of the Act

• Disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept.
• The types of disabilities have been increased from existing 7 to 21 and the Central Government will have the power to add more types of disabilities. In addition, the Government has been authorized to notify any other category of specified disability. The 21 disabilities are given below:-
  1. Blindness
  2. Low-vision
  3. Leprosy Cured persons
  4. Hearing Impairment (deaf and hard of hearing)
  5. Locomotor Disability
  6. Dwarfism
  7. Intellectual Disability
  8. Mental Illness
  9. Autism Spectrum Disorder
  10. Cerebral Palsy
  11. Muscular Dystrophy
  12. Chronic Neurological conditions
  13. Specific Learning Disabilities
  14. Multiple Sclerosis
  15. Speech and Language disability
  16. Thalassemia
  17. Hemophilia
  18. Sickle Cell disease
  19. Multiple Disabilities including deaf & blindness
  20. Acid Attack victim
  21. Parkinson's disease
• Responsibility has been cast upon the appropriate governments to take effective measures to ensure that the persons with disabilities enjoy their rights equally with others.
• Additional benefits such as reservation in higher education, government jobs, reservation in allocation of land, poverty alleviation schemes etc. have been provided for persons with benchmark disabilities and those with high support needs.
• Every child with benchmark disability between the age group of 6 and 18 years shall have the right to free education.
• Government funded educational institutions as well as the government recognized institutions will have to provide inclusive education to the children with disabilities.
• For strengthening the Prime Minister's Accessible India Campaign, stress has been given to ensure accessibility in public buildings (both Government and private) in a prescribed time-frame.
• Reservation in vacancies in government establishments has been increased from 3% to 4% for certain persons or class of persons with benchmark disability.
• The Act provides for grant of guardianship by District Court under which there will be joint decision – making between the guardian and the persons with disabilities.
• Broad based Central & State Advisory Boards on Disability are to be set up to serve as apex policy making bodies at the Central and State level.
• Office of Chief Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities has been strengthened who will now be assisted by 2 Commissioners and an Advisory Committee comprising of not more than 11 members drawn from experts in various disabilities.
• Similarly, the office of State Commissioners of Disabilities has been strengthened who will be assisted by an Advisory Committee comprising of not more than 5 members drawn from experts in various disabilities.
• The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and the State Commissioners will act as regulatory bodies and Grievance Redressal agencies and also monitor implementation of the Act.
• District level committees will be constituted by the State Governments to address local concerns of PwDs. Details of their constitution and the functions of such committees would be prescribed by the State Governments in the rules.
• Creation of National and State Fund will be created to provide financial support to the persons with disabilities. The existing National Fund for Persons with Disabilities and the Trust Fund for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities will be subsumed with the National Fund.
• The Act provides for penalties for offences committed against persons with disabilities and also violation of the provisions of the new law.
• Special Courts will be designated in each district to handle cases concerning violation of rights of PwDs.

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Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017

These rules were notified on 15.06.2017. To view the Rules, click here.

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Amendment) Rules, 2020.

To view the Rules, click here.

The National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999

An Act to provide for the constitution of a body at the National level for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. 

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The National Trust Rules

The National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Rules, 2000  notified on 26.07.2000 provide for election of Members of the Trust, Powers and Duties of its Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer etc.

For More Information: The National Trust Rules 2000

National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment) Rules, 2010 notified on 28.12.2010. 

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National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment) Rules, 2015  notified on 04.02.2015.

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The National Trust Regulations, 2001

The Regulations provide for conditions of service of the Chief Executive Officer and other officers and staff of the Trust, form and manner in which application is to be made for registration of NGOs and procedure for appointment of guardians etc.

For More Information: The National Trust Regulations

Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992

An Act to provide for the constitution of the Rehabilitation Council of India for regulating 1[and monitoring the training of rehabilitation professionals and personnel, promoting research in rehabilitation and special education,] the maintenance of a Central Rehabilitation Register and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. 

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Rehabilitation Council of India Regulations, 1997

The Regulations provide details about powers and duties of the Chairperson, powers of the Council and about the meetings of the General Council and Executive Committee, their quorum and proceedings etc.

For More Information: Rehabilitation Council of India Regulations-

Rehabilitation Council of India (Conditions of Service of the Member-Secretary, the officers and other employees) Regulations, 1998

The Regulations provide for the conditions of service of the Member Secretary, other officers and employees of the Rehabilitation Council of India.

For More Information: Rehabilitation Council of India Regulations,1998 (1.9MB)

Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998.

These Regulations lay down the standards of professional conduct, etiquette and code of ethics for rehabilitation professionals.

The Regulations provide for the conditions of service of the Member Secretary, other officers and employees of the Rehabilitation Council of India.

Source : Rehabilitation Council of India Regulations,(Professionals) (1.9MB)