World Braille Day: 4th January

Tactile Triumphs: Braille, Rights and Inclusion in India:

World Braille Day

• Observed every year on 4th January, World Braille Day foregrounds Braille not merely as a reading system, but as a gateway to education, dignity and equal participation for persons with visual disabilities.
• This significance is mirrored in India’s efforts to adopt and standardise Braille for inclusive learning.
• The Braille script was introduced in India in 1887. But, in 1951, a single national standard, Bharati Braille, was adopted with the common codes for Indian languages.
• According to the 2011 Census, there are 50,32,463 persons with visual impairment in India, who face significant barriers in accessing healthcare, education, and employment.
• Recognising the needs of this population, Braille in India is embedded in a rights-based ecosystem anchored in initiatives, acts and polices like the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and others. These efforts position Braille as both a literacy tool and a public accessibility norm.

What is Braille?

• Braille is a tactile writing and reading system used by people who are blind or have low vision. It is based on a six-dot cell, arranged in two columns of three dots each. Different combinations of raised dots represent letters, numerals, punctuation marks and symbols, enabling users to read through touch.
• Braille (named after its inventor in 19th century France, Louis Braille) is not a language but a code that allows multiple languages to be read and written in tactile form.

Significance of Braille:

• Braille plays a vital role in ensuring literacy, independence, and empowerment for persons with visual impairment.
• It is central to inclusive education and equal participation in social and economic life.
• India, as a State Party to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), is committed to ensuring access to information and education in accessible formats, including Braille.

Government of India: Policy and Programme Ecosystem Supporting Braille:

The Government of India has established a comprehensive ecosystem to promote the development, dissemination, and use of Braille as a vital tool for inclusion and empowerment of persons with visual impairment. Rooted in constitutional commitments to equality, dignity, and social justice, these initiatives span education, social welfare, skill development, and digital accessibility.

Legal Foundation: Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016:

• India’s Braille ecosystem is anchored in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which operationalises India’s commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
• Key provisions relevant to Braille include:
  1. Inclusive education as a statutory obligation: All government-funded or government-recognised educational institutions must ensure inclusive education, accessible infrastructure, reasonable accommodation and appropriate support systems.
  2. Braille as a recognised mode of instruction: For students who are blind or deafblind, the Act mandates education in the most appropriate language and mode of communication, explicitly supporting Braille and related tactile formats.
  3. Free learning materials and assistive devices: Students with benchmark disabilities are entitled to free books, learning materials and assistive devices up to the age of 18 years.

Through these provisions, Braille literacy is not treated as welfare support but as a legally enforceable educational right.

Bharati Braille: India’s Standardised National Braille Script

• To overcome fragmentation arising from multiple language-specific Braille codes, India has adopted Bharati Braille as a unified national script.
• Under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) and the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD):
  1. A Standard Bharati Braille Code with Unicode mapping was officially published.
  2. Bharati Braille uses the standard six-dot Braille cell and provides a consistent tactile framework for representing vowels, consonants, numerals and punctuation across Indian languages such as Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada and Malayalam.
  3. Unicode mapping enables seamless digital compatibility, supporting screen readers, refreshable Braille displays, software applications and accessible online content.

Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan)

• Launched in 2015, the Accessible India Campaign is India’s flagship initiative to create a barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities, including those with visual impairment.
• Key features:
  1. A holistic approach covering the built environment, transport systems and information & communication technologies (ICT).
  2. Retrofitting public infrastructure with Braille signage, including coverage of 2,000+ railway stations.
  3. Accessibility upgrades in railways, metro stations and airports.
  4. Implementation of national guidelines for accessible government websites and digital services.
• The campaign complements Braille literacy by ensuring that tactile information is integrated into everyday public spaces.

Braille Integration under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

• The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 explicitly acknowledges that inclusion requires practical learning supports.
• Key provisions:
  1. Emphasis on assistive devices and accessible teaching-learning materials, including Braille and large-print formats.
  2. Priority to participation of children with disabilities through language-appropriate accessible textbooks.
  3. NCERT is responsible for developing curricula and enabling the production of Braille and accessible-format school textbooks, aligning classroom pedagogy with inclusive education goals.

Higher Education and Digital Accessibility

As students with visual disabilities move into higher education, Braille and other accessible formats need to be integrated into mainstream academic systems. Government-supported digital libraries and institutional mandates are enabling universities to shift from ad-hoc accommodations to structured, campus-wide accessibility practices.

DALM Project

• The Project on Financial Support for Development of Accessible Learning Materials (DALM), implemented under the Scheme for Implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA):
  1. Earlier known as the Braille Press Project.
  2. Provides free Braille and accessible-format textbooks for both school and higher education.
  3. Since its inception in 2014, has benefitted 1,69,782 students across India.

Sugamya Pustakalaya

• Sugamya Pustakalaya is a national digital library for persons with visual and other print disabilities, initiated through collaboration between NIEPVD, Tata Consultancy Services and the Daisy Forum of India.
• Salient features:
  1. Availability of accessible books in multiple languages, including digital Braille formats.
  2. Institutions are required to:
     • Search for accessible-format books.
     • Convert materials if unavailable.
     • Upload content to avoid duplication.
     • Provide memberships to eligible students and faculty.
  3. This embeds accessibility into institutional academic workflows, rather than limiting it to disability support cells.

Capacity Building and Regulatory Oversight

Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI):

• The Rehabilitation Council of India is a statutory body under the RCI Act, 1992 (established on 22 June 1993, amended in 2000).
• Its functions include:
  • Regulation and standardisation of rehabilitation education and training.
  • Prescription of minimum standards for professional quality.
  • Recognition and monitoring of institutions and qualifications.
  • Maintenance of the Central Rehabilitation Register (CRR).
  • Promotion of research and continuing professional development.

NIEPVD and Core Institutions

• NIEPVD, Dehradun conducts Braille literacy training and development programmes.
• Braille Library Service, Delhi Public Library functions as a national-level Braille library under the Ministry of Culture.
• Braille Resource Centre, Bangalore University provides academic Braille transcription and support in line with UGC accessibility norms.
• Braille presses and disability institutions are recognised and regulated under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.

Conclusion

India’s evolving Braille ecosystem reflects a shift from charity-based assistance to a rights-based, institutionally embedded model of inclusion. By grounding Braille access in law, standardising Bharati Braille with digital compatibility, integrating accessibility into NEP 2020, and supporting higher education through DALM and Sugamya Pustakalaya, India is translating constitutional values into lived educational outcomes. As capacity building, digital integration and institutional accountability deepen, Braille is increasingly recognised not as a niche accommodation but as a vital bridge to equality, participation and dignity for persons with visual disabilities.