Why 12.1 million Indians with special needs are illiterate

As things stand, 45% of India's disabled population is illiterate, according to Census 2011

In a message at the launch of the government’s Accessible India Campaign in December 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested the term “divyaang”–which translates into “divine body”–for persons with disability, instead of the usual “viklaang”, or handicapped. He said persons with disability are divinely blessed with “extra gifts”.

Many disabled rights groups later wrote to the Prime Minister arguing that changing terminology alone would not end the discrimination that persons with disability face, and asking him to address the barriers that hinder