The Maharashtra government has taken a landmark decision to standardise education for children with intellectual disabilities (ID). Starting from the 2026-27 academic year, all special schools catering to children with ID will be required to implement a uniform curricular framework known as the 'Disha' curriculum.
A Push for Uniformity and Quality
In a significant move to ensure consistency and quality in special education, the state's Persons with Disabilities Welfare department has issued formal guidelines for the Disha curriculum's implementation. Although the framework has been in existence for a few years, this is the first time it has been made mandatory across the board.
The curriculum is specifically designed for children with intellectual disabilities aged between three and 18 years. Its core objective is to integrate life-skills, academics, and vocational readiness into a cohesive educational plan. The goal is to equip students with the cognitive, self-help, and social skills necessary to lead more independent lives.
Key Components and Mandatory Compliance
As part of the rollout, the government will provide standardised handbooks for teachers and workbooks for students based on the Disha framework. Furthermore, every special school must register on the centralised Disha portal. This portal will document each child's progress based on their Individualised Education Program (IEP).
Schools that successfully adopt the curriculum will be certified as 'Disha-implementing schools'. However, the government has warned of consequences for non-compliance. Institutions failing to implement the mandate may face actions such as the suspension of grants or even cancellation of their No-Objection Certificate (NOC), which is crucial for their recognition.
A critical feature of the Disha curriculum is an assessment checklist rooted in the IEP and Individualised Therapy Program (ITP), which must be identified soon after a child's admission. The teaching methodology employs multisensory VAKT (Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic, Tactile) methods to engage students according to their personalised learning goals.
Collaboration and State-Wide Impact
The curriculum was developed by the Mumbai-based Jai Vakeel Foundation, which brings over 80 years of experience in supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities. After receiving certification from the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID), the state government partnered with the foundation to promote the curriculum.
Tukaram Mundhe, Secretary for the Persons with Disability Welfare department, stated that Maharashtra is the first state to make such a uniform curriculum mandatory. "The objective is to achieve measurable, outcome-oriented results," he said, emphasising that the portal ensures transparency and accountability, moving beyond discretionary implementation by individual schools.
Archana Chandra, CEO of Jai Vakeel Foundation, hailed the move as a "great step forward." She explained that the curriculum addresses the entire spectrum of intellectual disability, focusing on daily living activities and functional academics with the larger aim of societal inclusion. Currently, the Disha curriculum is already benefiting over 20,000 students across more than 400 schools, with 2,700 special educators trained in its methodology.
To ensure effective execution, the government will provide necessary training for teachers and school principals. Schools will also be required to upload periodic progress reports—twice per academic year—onto the Disha portal, creating a continuous and transparent tracking system for student development.
