News of the month October 2025

News of the Month October 2025 brings a wave of powerful stories and pivotal developments from across the disability, healthcare, and education sectors. This month highlights groundbreaking research, policy reforms, and heartwarming human stories that continue to inspire inclusion and innovation. From scientific milestones in speech and hearing sciences to nationwide efforts in special education and empowering individuals with disabilities, October has been a month of progress, awareness, and compassion toward a more accessible world for all.

Punjabi University scholar conducts rare research on speech patterns

Significant results were obtained from a study by a research scholar at Punjabi University that compared the Punjabi speech patterns of individuals who had total laryngectomy with those of native Punjabi speakers with natural vocal cords. The study is the first of its type to take an international perspective and was conducted by scholar Ravi Kapoor at the department of linguistics and Punjabi lexicography under the direction of Prof. Suman Preet Virk.

According to Prof. Suman Preet Virk, the research's findings in clinical linguistics would be useful in the fields of forensic linguistics, natural language resources, and the study of speech problems. She went on to explain that the study was related to clinical linguistics and that it focused on those who had a total laryngectomy, or removal of the vocal cords, because of serious throat disorders or infections.

Read this news by timesofindia

Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu links ‘rapid increase in autism’ to ‘too many’ childhood vaccines, triggers debate

Sridhar Vembu, the founder of Zoho, recently made headlines on social media over "increasing cases of autism linked to vaccination." In an X post, Vembu described how parents in India are "giving too many vaccines to very young children," which is causing a dramatic increase in autism diagnoses. Citing the results of a McCullough Foundation investigation, the billionaire CEO asked parents to consider the analysis carefully. One of the main risk factors for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is early and combined childhood vaccination, according to an analysis of more than 300 research that was published on October 27.

Read this news by financialexpress

Age At Autism Diagnosis Could Indicate Tendency For Mental Health Disorders, Says Study

According to a study, a diagnosis of autism in late childhood increases the likelihood of mental health conditions like depression. This suggests that the age at which autism is identified may be a reflection of biological and developmental differences in the child. Autism is a neurodevelopmental illness that impairs a person's ability to control their emotions and social interactions by affecting parts of the brain such as the amygdala and cerebellum. During the first year of life or until the age of two, symptoms including not making eye contact and not reacting to one's name may appear.

Different patterns in the development and DNA of individuals diagnosed in early childhood and those diagnosed later, usually from late childhood onward, have been found by researchers, including those at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

Read this news by ndtv

How this pioneering centre continues to be a haven for children diagnosed with autism for the past 25 years

When Shreyash was two years old, his parents assumed he would eventually catch up because he did not speak, avoided playing with other kids, and had trouble staying still. However, Shreyash was unable to as the years went by and his younger sibling started to achieve significant milestones. It became evident that something had changed. We became aware of it when our second child was born, but it wasn't until the comparison revealed that anything was off. Sangita Pradip Shibe, Shreyash's mother, claimed, "He never sat still, he didn't interact, and he didn't speak properly." He was eventually identified by doctors with autism spectrum disorder, a developmental illness that impacts a person's ability to speak, engage with others, and process their environment.

Read this news by indianexpress

Salman Khan Dances With Children With Down Syndrome In An Old Viral Video

In addition to his successful movies, Bollywood star Salman Khan is renowned for his kindness and persistent dedication to charity. Salman Khan's dance with kids who had Down syndrome is a nostalgic moment that still makes people smile today. It made a lasting impression on both followers and admirers. Salman is seen in the video, which has since made a comeback on social media, laughing, hugging, and dancing with these kids. His contagious enthusiasm and sincere warmth elevate the occasion to a level well above mere amusement; it offers a window into the innermost feelings of a celebrity who has a strong bond with the people he serves.

Read this news by news18

India’s Untappable Workforce: How Skill Development Can Empower Millions With Disabilities

A 2011 World Health Organization (WHO) research found that more than 1.3 billion people, or about 16% of the world's population, live with a handicap. However, in spite of constitutional protections and a plethora of welfare programs, PwDs still encounter long-standing obstacles in social engagement, work, and education. In addition to limiting personal goals and opportunities, this institutional exclusion also ignores a huge pool of human potential, leaving a sizable amount of ability and creativity unrealized in the global economy.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) points out that PwDs have twice the unemployment rate of non-disabled people worldwide. PwD employment in India is only 34%, while the general population's employment rate is 60% (ILO, 2021). These figures show a great deal of unrealized potential in addition to inequity.

Read this news by thelogicalindian

Delhi government opens 10 centres for special needs children with CCTV monitoring

New rules have been released by Delhi's Directorate of Education to enhance assistance for special needs and disabled students attending government schools. Each of the ten newly established resource centers must adhere to a comprehensive standard operating procedure. These facilities will act as focal points for therapeutic services with the goal of offering kids who have been referred by their schools coordinated care.

According to the regulation, CCTV cameras must be installed in every block of the recently constructed centers in order to provide a transparent and safe atmosphere for kids attending therapy sessions.

Read this news by indiatoday

Haryana rolls out plan to mainstream special kids

The Nayab Singh Saini administration has established an institutional structure to carry out the recently announced "Haryana State Inclusive Education Guidelines-2025" in an effort to empower children with special needs (CWSN). The guidelines aim to establish schools as "compassionate ecosystems that celebrate diversity, ensure physical and emotional safety, and dismantle barriers to learning." This is in line with the goals of the National Education Policy-2020, the National Curriculum Framework for School Education-2023, and the Rights of Persons with Disability Act-2016.

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CBSE releases final date sheet for Class 10 & 12 board Exams 2026, check it here at cbse.gov.in

The final date sheet for the 2026 board exams for classes 10 and 12 was made public by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday. The Class 10 and Class 12 Board exams for 2026 will start on February 17, 2026, according to confirmation from CBSE. The needs of the students taking the Board exam as well as entrance exams like JEE and NEET were carefully taken into account when creating this timetable. According to the Board, efforts have been taken to finish the Class 12 tests well in advance of the entrance exams so that students have enough time to study.

According to CBSE, on September 24, 2025, or 146 days prior to the start of the exams, a preliminary date sheet was made public for the first time.

Read this news by hindustantimes

Odia teenager with Down syndrome completes 5 km marathon in Chicago

Bhubaneswar: On Saturday, a teenager with Down syndrome from Odisha participated in the 2025 Chicago 5 km marathon. Mikul Sahoo, 16, who was accompanied by his father, Tathagata Sahoo, finished the route in 43:47 minutes while wearing bib number 4713. Tathagata also took part in the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. Even though I had instructed him to run alongside me, Mikul ran enthusiastically for the first 700 to 800 meters. The run went smoothly after I came up to him," said Tathagata, a Japanese engineer from Yokohama.

Read this news by timesofindia

Air Pollution in Delhi Linked to Rising Stroke Cases, Say Doctors

Delhi-NCR residents are still exposed to harmful levels of pollution, smoke, and pollutants, as well as dangerously high levels of the Air Quality Index (AQI), which experts warn can raise the risk of strokes. A stroke is a medical emergency that happens when a blood vessel in the brain breaks or blood flow to a portion of the brain is cut off, depriving brain cells of oxygen and nutrients and resulting in their death. Long-term brain damage, incapacity, or even death result from this. Experts say that while everyone is at danger, older folks and anyone with underlying respiratory or cardiovascular diseases are particularly at risk. The risk of stroke can be increased by exposure to pollutants such as PM2.5, NO₂, and CO; even brief exposure can cause a stroke within a few hours.

Read this news by timesnownews

Superstar Ajith’s sweet gesture to hearing and speech-impaired fan outside Tirumala temple goes viral

During his recent visit to the Tirumala Temple, Tamil film legend Ajith Kumar once again won over the hearts of the people with a touching deed of generosity. The Good, Bad, and Ugly star is seen engaging with a young fan who is both speech-impaired and hearing-impaired in a video that has gone viral online. Ajith saw the fan waiting for him with great anticipation as he left the temple. Instead of passing by, the celebrity paused, gave the young man a kind smile, and posed for a selfie. Ajith carefully took the phone himself, snapped a few shots to make sure they looked fine, and then respectfully said farewell to the fan before departing after noticing that his hands were shaking as he attempted to take the image.

Read this news by economictimes

Hearing aids distributed to impaired children

As part of Canfin Homes Limited's CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative, the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) organized a program on Sunday at its location on Bogadi Road in the city, where 150 hearing-impaired children received hearing aids. The event was organized in partnership with the Mysuru District Deaf Association and Lions International (District 317-G) Nisarga & Mayuri. Speaking at the event, Dr. M. Pushpavathi, the director of AIISH, stated that up to 73,000 persons came to the institute this year, the majority of whom complained of hearing impairment.

She noted that in addition to treating these conditions, AIISH has been offering rehabilitation services to those with impairments, citing its identification of 12 kinds of disability.

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Mr Deaf India 2025 meets Manipur Governor, bats for school for hearing impaired

On Tuesday, October 14, Veihriilo Lanah, the Mr. Deaf India 2025 champion, visited Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Raj Bhavan in Imphal. Lanah asked the Governor for permission to represent India in the next Mr. Deaf International Contest, which will take place in Genoa, Italy, from November 28 to December 8, 2025.

Governor Bhalla commended Lanah's efforts to empower people with disabilities and promote inclusivity, and congratulated him on his outstanding accomplishment. He conveyed his belief that Lanah's involvement in the global pageant would honor and recognize the entire country, not only Manipur. Lanah, a native of Manipur, won the title of Mr. Deaf India 2025 at the 12th national pageant, which took place in Punjab from August 30 to August 31, 2025.

Read this news by northeasttoday

Gene therapy trial gives deaf children hearing in both ears

After participating in a "astounding" gene therapy experiment, five deaf children now have hearing in both ears, which gives hope for future therapies. Due to inherited genetic abnormalities that impair the body's capacity to produce a protein required to guarantee that audio signals travel smoothly from the ear to the brain, the children were deaf. The youngsters, who ranged in age from one to eleven, had treatment in both ears from doctors at Shanghai's Fudan University in the hopes that they would develop enough 3D hearing to participate in discussions and determine the direction of sounds.

Read this news by theguardian