NIOS Strengthens Inclusive Education through Remedial Teaching for Children with Special Needs
New Delhi |
Reaffirming India’s commitment to equitable, accessible, and barrier-free education, the Inclusive Education Summit 2026, organised by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, highlighted key national initiatives aimed at strengthening inclusive learning systems for Children with Special Needs (CwSN). The three-day summit focused on ensuring access, retention, and meaningful learning outcomes for learners with diverse needs.
Under Theme–2: Inclusive Education Pathways, a dedicated session titled “Remedial Teaching for Out-of-School CwSN Seeking Admission through NIOS” was delivered by Prof. Akhilesh Mishra, Chairman, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Mishra highlighted that NIOS, established in 1989 as an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Education, was created to extend educational opportunities to learners unable to pursue education through the conventional schooling system. These include out-of-school children, rural youth, working learners, disadvantaged groups, and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
He emphasised that remedial teaching for CwSN should go beyond short-term academic support and must be embedded within flexible, continuous, and dignity-centred learning frameworks. According to him, inclusive education requires adaptive systems that respect learners’ pace, abilities, and life circumstances.
Highlighting NIOS’s learner-friendly framework, Prof. Mishra noted that round-the-year admissions, two public examination cycles annually, and the On-Demand Examination (ODE) system serve as critical interventions for learners whose education has been disrupted due to health conditions, mobility challenges, learning difficulties, or lack of accessible schooling facilities.
Emphasising technology-enabled inclusion, he shared that NIOS has developed a wide range of accessible digital learning resources, including DAISY, e-PUB, and Indian Sign Language (ISL)-based content. These resources are disseminated through national platforms such as PM e-Vidya, SWAYAM, YouTube, and NIOS-DEEP, enabling learners to overcome classroom and geographical barriers.
To ensure equity in assessment, NIOS provides comprehensive examination accommodations, including scribes, readers, caregivers, permission for assistive devices, extra time during examinations, and barrier-free examination centres through its Special Accredited Institutions for Education of Divyangjans (SAIEDs).
A landmark achievement highlighted during the session was NIOS’s pioneering role in Deaf education. The introduction of Indian Sign Language as a subject at the Secondary level in 2021, followed by its extension to the Senior Secondary level in November 2025, has significantly expanded inclusive education pathways across the country.
The session strongly echoed the Summit’s central message that inclusive education requires multiple pathways supported by systemic flexibility. With strong leadership and a learner-centric approach, NIOS continues to play a pivotal national role in ensuring that no child is left behind, enabling every learner—regardless of disability—to complete school education with confidence, dignity, and equal opportunity.
