Rights of persons with disabilities a landmark Supreme Court verdict

The ruling highlighted the principle of reasonable accommodation and also elucidated the importance of equality.

The Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday (October 15) reaffirmed the right to educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities, rejecting rigid, blanket standards that could potentially bar candidates from admission based solely on disability levels.

This judgment has far-reaching implications for educational and regulatory frameworks, encouraging a progressive shift and ensuring that institutions assess candidates based on their potential rather than their limitations. (HT File)

The judgment emphasised the positive obligations of the state, educational institutions and other bodies to create an enabling environment for persons with disabilities (PwD).

The bench, comprising justices Bhushan R Gavai, Aravind Kumar and KV Viswanathan, also clarified that benchmarks alone should not automatically exclude individuals