SEGREGATION TO INCLUSION: THE TRAJECTORIES OF POLICY SHIFT IN INDIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

Globally there are millions of children living with disabilities in the world. The children have traditionally been marginalized within or excluded from schools because of their apparent difficulties. Various international and national endeavors have been taken till now. In India from the Constitution to Kothari Commission (1964), from the early days of the Republic to the 2005 Action Plan for Children and Youth with Disabilities and the 2006 National Policy for People with Disabilities recently, the Indian Government tends to write inclusive policies on Education. This article reviews the national trends in the education of children with disabilities. It highlights the transition from special education to inclusive education and emphasizes the shift from seclusion to inclusion. It deals with the essentiality of reconsidering Inclusive Education policies in relation to overall educational arrangements in our national context. National policies have been studied to develop a framework for moving policy and frameworks forward. It provides some recommendations which focus on prevention, cure and steps to make these children as normal and appreciated as possible. Finally, the author tried to critically analyze the policies with respect to the government initiatives and its aim of implementation.