Question : Special Centres for Autistic Children

(a) whether the Government has any plan to set up special centres for autistic children as autistic individuals require special attention and specialised medical laboratories because they have special behavioral issues that require care and these facilities are not available in most schools or in regular set ups;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Government has proposed a special curriculum for autistic children and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government proposes to formulate a special scheme for such type of students; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons threrefor?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI KRISHANPAL GURJAR)

(a)& (b) Yes Sir. “Autism Spectrum Disorder” has been included as a specified disability under RPwD Act, 2016. The Department has notified guidelines for assessment & certification of Persons with Autism on 25.04.2016 which mandates the States/UTs to establish State Autism Certification Board for identification & certification purpose. Recently, the Department has taken a decision to set-up Early Identification & Intervention Centres at its 7 National Institutes (NIs) and 7 Composite Regional Centres (CRCs) with modern facilities for identification of various disabilities including Autism. National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities/NIEPID, Secunderabad and its Regional Centres of Delhi, Noida and Kolkata are catering educational needs of children with Intellectual disabilities and also provide basic facilities to the children with Autism.

In addition, the National Trust, an autonomous organization under the administrative control of the Department of Persons with Disabilities set up Disha Centres at 29 places and Vikaas Centres at 34 Day Care Centres and 39 Disha-cum-Vikaas Centres for Children with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities.

(c),(d)&(e) Section-17 of the RPwD Act, 2016 mandates the appropriate Govt. to take measures for the purpose of providing inclusive education which inter-alia includes suitable modification in curriculum and examination system to meet the needs of Students with Disabilities.

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