Three Landmark Initiatives Unveiled at International Purple Fest to Boost Accessibility and Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities
The initiatives were unveiled by Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Goa, October 13: In a powerful stride toward inclusive education and skills empowerment, the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE) on Sunday launched three major initiatives aimed at strengthening accessibility in listening, reading, and writing for persons with disabilities (PwDs) on the second day of the International Purple Fest in Goa. The launches underscore the Government of India’s continued commitment to building a barrier-free learning ecosystem and promoting equal participation of PwDs in education, employment, and global opportunities, the ministry said in a statement.
The initiatives were unveiled by Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, in the presence of Taha Haaziq, Secretary, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (SCPD), Goa; Richa Shankar, DDG; Praveen Kumar, CMD, ALIMCO; Kumar Raju, Director, Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC); and other senior officials.
- IELTS Training Handbook for Persons with Disabilities
The first major launch of the day was the IELTS Training Handbook for Persons with Disabilities, developed by Believe in the Invisible (BITI) with support from the DEPwD. Authored by Anjali Vyas, Co-Founder of BITI and a British Council–certified IELTS Trainer, the handbook is the first-of-its-kind inclusive resource designed to make international English language testing accessible to learners with disabilities.
The publication serves as both a self-study guide for learners and a teaching manual for trainers, addressing barriers faced by persons with visual, hearing, locomotor, and other disabilities. It includes:
Reasonable accommodation guidelines for test-takers.
Adapted learning strategies for all four IELTS modules — Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.
ISL (Indian Sign Language) video links, lesson plans, and accessible study materials.
Time management tips, grammar support, and vocabulary-building exercises.
BITI’s initiative aligns with its mission to create visibility for invisible disabilities and advance universal accessibility in education and professional training.
- ISLRTC’s RPL Certification and Specialized Sign Language Training
The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), New Delhi, also made two key announcements reinforcing its leadership in skill development and global exposure for Indian Sign Language (ISL) professionals.
Under the Skill Training Initiative of the DEPwD, ISLRTC conducted the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Certification in ISL Interpretation — a skill course for Siblings of Deaf Adults (SODA) and Children of Deaf Adults (CODA) from August 11 to 29, 2025. Seventeen participants from across India successfully completed the programme, and the Certificate Distribution Ceremony for the first batch will take place on December 3, 2025, coinciding with the International Day for Persons with Disabilities.
Further, recognizing the growing demand for cross-cultural communication skills, ISLRTC announced a Specialized Basic Training Programme on American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL). The one-month physical programme, commencing December 3, 2025, at ISLRTC, will introduce ISL professionals to the fundamentals of ASL and BSL — including grammar, syntax, and vocabulary — to expand international opportunities for Indian interpreters and enhance cultural exchange.
A Unified Vision for Inclusive Progress
Together, these three initiatives reflect a cohesive national effort to empower persons with disabilities through education, technology, and skill training. From providing accessible English language learning tools to developing globally aware ISL professionals, the launches symbolize India’s evolving approach toward inclusive growth and global collaboration.
As Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal noted, the new initiatives reinforce India’s resolve to make learning and employment accessible, inclusive, and future-ready — ensuring that persons with disabilities can learn, communicate, and thrive on both national and international platforms.
