News of the Month July 2025

July 2025 witnessed a powerful wave of change and progress in the disability and inclusion space across India. From pioneering education policies and technological innovations to heartwarming personal achievements, the month was filled with inspiring developments aimed at building a more inclusive society. This edition of “News of the Month” highlights transformative initiatives such as PCMC’s new Centre of Excellence for persons with special needs, Chandigarh’s groundbreaking education policy, and several uplifting stories that showcase resilience, innovation, and the unwavering push for equal opportunity.

PCMC launches Centre of Excellence to empower persons with special needs

To empower people with special needs, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) opened a Center of Excellence at its Divyang Bhavan Foundation in the Morwadi region on Wednesday. The center, which was created in partnership with the Rohini Foundation and EnAble India, will concentrate on identifying the skills of people with special needs in order to promote improved workplace inclusion and employment prospects.

Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh emphasized the significance of this project in helping people with special needs bridge the skills and livelihood gap during his remarks at the opening. In order to map the talents of people with special needs and direct them toward suitable career trajectories, this Center of Excellence will be essential. It's about empowerment and long-term assistance, not just finding a job," Singh stated.

Read this news by indianexpress

Chandigarh Sets New Standard with Free Education Till 18 for Children with Disabilities

Chandigarh introduced a ground-breaking inclusive education policy in July 2025 that ensures free and mandatory education for children with disabilities in government and assisted schools till they become 18 years old. The policy, which was unveiled by Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, calls for nondiscriminatory admissions, a 3% reservation for children with disabilities within the 25% quota for economically weaker sections, transportation and escort allowances, vocational training starting in Class 9, and accountability measures for private schools that enroll special needs students.

For children who are physically unable to attend school, the program also provides home-based education, making Chandigarh the first Union Territory to implement such a thorough structure. Officials praise it as a model that would probably lead to similar projects all over India.

Read this news by thelogicalindian

‘Duolingo for the deaf’: 28-year-old Indian hearing-impaired entrepreneur wins UNDP-supported Youth Co:Lab award for her startup

Shraddha Agarwal, a hearing-impaired entrepreneur who was born deaf, stated on the eve of World Youth Skills Day, which is observed annually on July 15, that she had to work twice as hard in her education as other students at her Chennai school. She claimed that difficulties remained in spite of a system of assistance and thorough instruction that made lipreading simple.

She recounted how the professors did not frequently repeat what they were saying when she was growing up in an interview with The Indian Express. Agarwal, who "once was not able to cope in the classroom," later attended the University of Warwick to obtain a Master's degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Read this news by indianexpress

NIEPID, Jai Vakeel Foundation sign MOU to scale quality education for Children with Intellectual Disability

In the presence of Rajesh Aggarwal, secretary, department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), an MOU was signed between the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID) and the Jai Vakeel Foundation (JVF) to address the need for a uniform curriculum for children with intellectual disabilities in India.

The agreement would make it easier for the NIEPID Disha Curriculum for Children with Intellectual Disability (CwID), an organized and standardized curriculum, to be implemented nationwide. Through the partnership, schools, centers, and organizations that serve CwID will have access to JVF-developed resources such as the NIEPID Disha Assessment Checklist for Individualized Education Plans (EIPs), the NIEPID Disha Multisensory Curriculum, the NIEPID Disha Digital Portal, and Teacher Trainings nationwide.

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Meet the Chennai Dancer Helping 375 Children with Disabilities Find Confidence Through Art

There is a lot of laughter in the classroom. As a group of kids learn the language of dance, a gentle melody plays in the background as they make elegant hand motions. Uncertain of what to do next, one boy stops in the middle of his stride. Grinning, his teacher stoops to show him once more. His expression brightens this time, and he joins in with the others.

At Ramana Sunritya Aalaya (RASA), this is a typical moment. However, it is much more than just a dancing class for the kids here. Labels and restrictions do not define them in this area. A location where art serves as a bridge to happiness and self-assurance.

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Just 29% of Goa schools have teachers trained for spl needs students

Panaji: According to the "Parakh Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024" survey by NCERT, which is part of the Union education ministry, only 29% of Goan schools had certified or trained teachers to care for students with special needs, and only 26% of children with special needs had access to mobility aids, ramps, or lifts.

Goa received a lower score than the target of 50% on every metric used to measure inclusion in ordinary schools. "Creating a supportive learning environment where children with special needs (CWSN) receive the required accommodations, resources, and support requires inclusive education.

Read this news by timesofindia

Samadhan Diwas brings hope for disabled man

Kanpur: At the Samadhan Diwas held in Tehsil Sadar Kanpur Nagar, Indrajeet, who was unable to walk on his own, and his elderly mother never thought they would receive considerably more than they had anticipated. At the Samadhan Diwas on Monday, it was demonstrated how a tiny endeavor could get over bureaucratic roadblocks and satisfy an applicant. Additional district magistrate (Fin & Rev.) Vivek Chaturvedi presided over the proceedings.

An elderly woman came into the hall with her son, who was unable to walk due to physical limitations. The SDM got up from his seat, went up to the woman, asked her to describe her issue, and took the papers she gave him.

Read this news by timesofindia

'Every child has place in classroom': Delhi HC directs school to admit autistic child

The Delhi High Court emphasized that "belongingness" is the goal of "inclusive education" and ordered a capital school to accept a student with autism.

As a result, Justice Vikas Mahajan ordered GD Goenka Public School to accept a girl student with an autism diagnosis into Class I. "It goes without saying that 'inclusive education' encompasses more than just educational access. It has to do with belonging. On July 1, the court stated, "It is also about acknowledging that every child has a place in the classroom because they are different, not because they are the same, and that difference enriches the learning environment for everyone."

According to advocate Ashok Agarwal's suit, the girl was born in May 2017 and began therapy after a doctor thought she had autism in November 2019. However, Covid-19 discontinued the session.

Read this news by moneycontrol

IIIT-A develops interactive gaming robot to support children with autism

Prayagraj: Scientists at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Allahabad are developing a novel solution that could give autistic children new hope, motivated by the emotional struggles of Ishaan in the Bollywood movie "Taare Zameen Par," where the world fails to comprehend and accept the difficulties faced by these kids. To aid in the cognitive and mental development of kids with autism, they are creating an interactive gaming robot.

The robot's capacity to blend mathematics games with a space theme with a highly customized approach for every youngster is what makes it special. The robot will identify children's emotions, interests, and learning styles while they play these games in addition to teaching them math. In this manner, the robot will help close the educational gap and make learning more interesting and natural.

Read this news by timesofindia

Indian CEO explains autism to 6-year-old son in viral video, internet lauds his parenting wisdom

A touching video of an Indian CEO describing autism to his six-year-old kid has gone viral and received praise for its inclusive and sympathetic parenting style. The CEO of MyFundBox Financial Services, Anuj Paul, is seen talking about one of his son Adwik Paul's classmates who has autism spectrum disorder while they are driving.

"Aapko pata na special child hai vo" (You know, he's a special child) is what Paul says to his son in the now-viral video. Adwik asks, "Kaise?" (How?) with a childish curiosity. Adwik asks what "minor autism" means after Paul replies, "Usko autism hai, minor autism hai usko" (He has autism, a mild kind).

Read this news by hindustantimes

Elon Musk claims Neuralink brain chip can help people hear again, even with complete hearing loss

According to Elon Musk, Neuralink's brain chip may help those who have been totally deaf since birth restore their hearing. He made this assertion in response to a post on X alerting users to the risks associated with hearing loss and pointing out that there is presently no cure for it. Additionally, hearing loss accelerates brain shrinking and raises the chance of dementia, according to the post.

An X user responded to that discussion by proposing that Neuralink's upcoming product should concentrate on hearing restoration. In response, Musk stated that there is an obvious way to accomplish that with Neuralink's technology, adding that the gadget can directly trigger the brain's sound-processing neurons.

Read this news by indiatoday

First-in-human trial for regenerative cell therapy for sensorineural hearing loss approved

The University of Sheffield spinout Rinri Therapeutics, which uses regenerative cell therapy to treat sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), has been given permission to start its first-in-human clinical trial.

Rincell-1, a first-in-class otic neural progenitor cell treatment, was licensed by the UK's Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the first-in-human Phase I/IIa trial (1). After the trial starts, clinical proof-of-concept data should be available within a year.

Although cochlear implants and other current standard-of-care treatments aid in managing sensorineural hearing loss symptoms, their efficacy is contingent upon the cochlear nerve's health.

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Meet Nisa Unnirajan, Mother Of Two, Suffers From Hearing Impairment, Yet Cleared UPSC In Seventh Attempt

The tale of Nisa Unnirajan's success on the UPSC exam is one of tenacity, willpower, and quiet fortitude. She demonstrated that perseverance can triumph over the most difficult obstacles by juggling emotional struggles, parenthood, and a physical disability. Her accomplishment, which she attained later in life, serves as a potent reminder that goals never die and that, with enough dedication, even the most challenging routes can lead to success.

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Nagaland assessment camp for special kids

To commemorate the fifth anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Nagaland government held a massive identification and assessment camp for children with special needs (CwSN).

The camp was organized in Kohima by the Nagaland Education Mission Society, Samagra Shiksha, in association with Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), which is part of the National Health Mission, Nagaland health and family welfare department. In terms of encouraging inclusive education and making sure that no child is left behind, this was a major stride. A team of nine RBSK employees and eleven doctors from the health and family welfare department conducted the medical evaluations at the camp, which was set up at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima.

Read this news by timesofindia

Conclusion

These stories from July 2025 are a testament to the strides being made in disability inclusion, awareness, and empowerment both at grassroots and systemic levels. Whether it's government-led reforms, individual accomplishments, or innovative solutions in therapy and education, the collective effort to create a more inclusive world is evident. As we reflect on these developments, may they continue to inspire action, compassion, and lasting change for every individual with special needs across the country and beyond.