5 October: disability and inclusive policy
Monday 5 October 2026
GS Paper 1 · 150 words · 10 marks
How do you understand disability? Substantiate the need for inclusive policy framework in India in this regard.
(UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 1, Q9)
Set a timer for 7 minutes. Write your answer before you read anything below.
Open only after you have written
How to approach this question
What the question asks.
| Part | What to write |
|---|---|
| How do you understand disability? | Your definition. Say where disability comes from |
| Substantiate | Facts, laws and judgments. Each reason needs evidence |
| The need for inclusive policy framework in India | Why current policy is not enough, and what an inclusive one does |
A shape that works in 150 words.
- Define disability as an impairment meeting barriers, and name the convention that uses this idea.
- Two reasons India needs an inclusive framework, each with a figure or a judgment.
- One line on the law that exists.
- End on one or two steps.
What to avoid.
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Defining disability only as a medical condition | Add the barriers in buildings, services and attitudes |
| A list of schemes | The question asks you to substantiate a need. Give evidence |
| No figures | Use the Census count, and say it is likely an undercount |
| Ending on "society must be sensitised" | Name a step, such as mandatory accessibility standards |
A model answer
Disability arises when a long-term impairment meets barriers such as steps, inaccessible websites or prejudice. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which India ratified in 2007, uses this idea. So does the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
Why India needs an inclusive framework
- Scale. Census 2011 counted 2.68 crore persons with disabilities, 2.21% of the population. WHO estimates that 16% of people worldwide live with disability, which suggests the Census undercounts.
- Access. In Rajive Raturi v Union of India (2024), the Supreme Court held that accessibility rules must be mandatory.
What exists
The 2016 Act recognises 21 disabilities. It reserves 4% of government jobs and 5% of higher education seats for persons with benchmark disabilities. The Accessible India Campaign began in 2015.
Way forward
Count disability carefully in the next Census, and enforce mandatory accessibility standards in buildings, transport and websites.
Word count: 145.
Why this answer works. The definition is the candidate's own and is tied to the convention. Each reason has a figure or a judgment. The way forward follows from the evidence.
Where it could be stronger. It could add one figure on employment or schooling of persons with disabilities, from a survey you are sure of.