CBSE Issues Revised Guidelines For Children With Special Needs: 10 Major Takeaways

HYDERABAD: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a set of guidelines for Children with Special Needs (CwSN) recently.

In a notice to all the heads and managers of the schools affiliated to it, the CBSE has issued detailed specifications related to ramp, signage, lifts and toilets for the Children with Special Needs (CwSN).

The board advised all the CBSE affiliated schools and the institutions seeking affiliation to comply with the revised guidelines for Children with Special Needs (CwSN).

“The Board has been receiving written requests from schools and discussion points in various forums of its stakeholders to optimize guidelines on the provisions for CwSN students studying in the schools,” said an official notice issued by the CBSE.

10 major takeaways from the revised guidelines

1. The Children with Special Needs should be admitted without discrimination and be provided education and opportunities for sports and recreation activities.
2. The buildings, campus, and various facilities should be accessible to them, along with reasonable accommodation as per the individual’s requirements
3. The visually or hearing-impaired students should be taught in the most appropriate languages and modes and means of communication.
4. Specific learning disabilities should be detected at the earliest and suitable pedagogical measures be taken accordingly.
5. Their participation, progress in terms of attainment levels and completion of the education in respect of every student with a disability should be monitored.
6. A proper ramp should mandatorily be built on the ground floor of the school to ensure barrier-free access and separate CwSN-compliant toilets for boys and girls with adequate space for movement of the wheelchair and walker should be maintained on the floors on which classes are conducted.
7. In case the school conducts classes or practical for CwSN students on any floor other than the ground floor, the school should ensure lift facilities or ramp.
8. For children with visual impairments, pictogram (male pictogram in triangle and female pictogram in circle) marked on plates along with Braille and raised alphabets to be mounted on the wall next to the door near the latch side, mentioned the official notice.
9. Schools need to ensure that all toilet facilities should have fire alarms with audio and visual systems as part of the guidelines for Children with Special Needs (CwSN).
10. Availability of sanitary material and disposal mechanism such as incinerators should be provided for the girls. Running water in the girl’s toilets is essential for Menstruation, Hygiene and Management (MHM). Overhead water storage tanks should be provided to get piped water facility.

For the detailed circular carrying the guidelines for the Children with Special Needs issued by the CBSE: Click here