“India cannot close its disability inclusion gap without structural reform. With a 70% shortage of rehabilitation professionals, a 50% deficit of special educators, and fewer than 60 accessibility auditors nationwide, we simply do not have the ecosystem required to support 2.68 crore Persons with Disabilities. This is why we urge the UGC to kindly consider our proposal for granting Deemed-to-be University status to the Sarthak Global University. India needs a national institution that unifies early intervention, education, research, skilling, accessibility, and assistive technology under one umbrella,” said, Dr. Jitender Aggarwal, Secretary-General of NAAI and Founder & CEO of Sarthak Educational Trust while speaking at the 12th National Abilympics Skill Competitions and the 12th National Conference on Disability (NCD) being held in New Delhi on November 20-21. Speakers emphasized the need for deeper collaboration between government, corporates, and civil society to accelerate disability inclusion in India. They also highlighted the role of the National Abilympics as a platform that not only celebrates skill but shapes pathways for livelihood, dignity, and long-term empowerment.
Organized by Sarthak Educational Trust in collaboration with the National Abilympic Association of India (NAAI) and supported by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), TPCDT, and IndusInd Bank, the event follows the successful completion of four Regional Abilympics across Chennai (South), Mumbai (West), Lucknow (North), and Guwahati (East & North East).
The inaugural session saw the presence of Dr. Vineet Joshi, Chairman, University Grants Commission (Chief Guest), Rajiv Kumar, Former Chief Election Commissioner, and Himal Tewari, CHRO & Chief CSR & Sustainability, Tata Power. The conference opened with the theme “Sustainable Development Goals and Disability Inclusion”, with sessions spanning inclusive employment, universal design, early intervention, assistive technology, leadership by PwDs, and the role of media in reshaping public narratives.
In his remarks Dr Joshi said: “Many things I witnessed today were true eye-openers. They reminded me how little we, as a society, are doing for this vast population and how much faster we can grow when we move together. The real inability lies not with Persons with Disabilities, but within our systems that fail to provide them equal opportunities. Just as the Election Commission and government ensured accessible voting, it is now time for every sector government, NGOs, corporates to step forward with the same urgency. Sarthak’s life-cycle approach for PwDs shows what is possible when commitment meets compassion, and it’s a model we must all join hands to strengthen. We urgently need innovative pedagogical tools, new testing frameworks, and most importantly, a dedicated University that can develop specialised resources for PwDs enabling them to contribute meaningfully to India’s growth. The heart must lead before guidelines do, ensuring every child with a disability becomes a part of Viksit Bharat 2047. My best wishes to the Abilympics team as they move toward Finland 2027 may they make India proud once again.”
Sarthak used the occasion to announce a national interface with leading e-commerce platforms called MartSarathi to enable seamless shopping with leading e-commerce portals. Additionally, Sarthak formally confirmed that its proposal for the Sarthak Global University — envisioned as India’s first dedicated institution for disability studies, inclusive education, assistive technology, skilling and research will be submitted to the University Grants Commission (UGC) for Deemed-to-be University status. Sarthak has already empowered 1.25 lakh PwDs through training, placement, and rehabilitation and reached over 5.3 million people through large-scale community programs. With its presence across 2,000 locations, including 60% rural areas, Sarthak is addressing early intervention gaps, improving education access, and strengthening job-linked skilling for marginalized communities.
Day 2 will see the announcement of national winners who will begin their training journey for the international stage in Finland 2027.
